I am not beautiful.

I have a flowing head of naturally curly hair, but I am not beautiful.

I have bright, shining brown eyes, but I am not beautiful.

I have deeply tanned skin, but I am not beautiful.

I am ugly.

I have a rude, selfish heart.

I have mean, judgmental tendencies.

I have a stubborn, ungrateful spirit.

At my core, I am not beautiful. In fact, my sinful nature renders me grossly inadequate in light of our Savior. He is the One I should be imitating, and yet here I am, striving to meet man’s standard of perfection. I wake up and choose an outfit based on what will turn the most heads. I style my blond, curly hair in what seems the most flattering and fashionable way. I layer on makeup with the intention of hiding what’s underneath and highlighting artificial features. I am beautiful by the measure of the world, but when Christ looks at my heart, I am disgustingly ugly.

I can adjust my outward appearance all day, but until I learn to live in light of eternity, I will be nothing more than a painted shell of what the world wants me to be. You see, there is no harm in wanting to be pretty and attractive; there is a place for that in everyone’s life. We were all given different features for a reason, and there is nothing wrong with celebrating that through clothes or hairstyles or makeup. The problem occurs when we crumble to the sinful nature inside of us and act accordingly.

If I live my life based on what I want and how I feel, it becomes painfully obvious that I have no regard for the Holy Spirit living in me. It is only when I stop, listen, and follow His guidance that I begin to look like Him, the most beautiful one of all. As a woman of God in a society dominated by sexuality and body image crises, the task of putting on Christ’s radiance instead of relying on my own is daunting. My natural inclination is to find trends and seek approval from those around me. However, Carolyn Mahaney said it best in “Becoming God’s True Woman,”

“If I keep my eyes on the One who is loveliness incarnate, I will grow more beautiful by reflecting Him.”

How incredible must it be to have others look at you and see the very character of God shining through? This beauty is not skin deep. This beauty starts at the very core of who we are and changes us from the inside out. We no longer have to be bound by the sinful traits we were born with; we can rejoice in the transformation God is performing. We no longer need to draw attention to ourselves with “outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes” (1 Peter 3:3). There is a spark of brilliance that can only come from Christ within you.

So please, remember this: no clothes, makeup, or man’s approval can defeat the joy of a truly freeing relationship with God. The world offers temporary approval, but that of God is eternal.