Do you consider yourself beautiful?
This past week I focused a lot on this question. I realized that over the holiday break I had compared myself to other women and even to old pictures of myself in high school. Did I consider myself beautiful? Not really. Anytime I saw a mirror, an army of insecure thoughts trampled into my brain and left me surrendering.
This word "beautiful" is a word that we, as women, strive for more than anything else in the world. I mean, think about it. Every day we wake up and get dressed with the intention to look as acceptable as we can. Whether you are owning that t-shirt or rockin' a new dress, you check the mirror multiple times before leaving the house. It has become our natural instinct to present ourselves as women who are known as being beautiful.
After all, why do you spend so much time taking selfies? The better the angle, the more likes you think you will receive on Instagram. Deep down you know it doesn't matter in the long run, but that doesn't stop you from posting as many filtered and edited pictures as possible. I would know, I am at fault for this all the time.
When you hear the word "beautiful", are there other women who instantly pop into your mind?
Are you one of them?
God says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I'm sure you've read that multiple times, but really think about it this time. You are fearfully made. This means that God did not question himself when he created you. He wasn't sitting there worrying himself sick about whether or not you were "pretty enough" for the world. God didn't even hesitate for a second when he decided to give you those freckles and birthmarks. He even created a husband for you that will find you absolutely perfect in every way, inside and out. So why do we worry? Why do we let our mirror only show us what we hate about ourselves when God is over here, 100% confident that you are perfect the way you are?
You are also wonderfully made, and God enjoyed creating you. He enjoyed making you different from anyone else. He took delight in giving you your own personality and interests. Be grateful for the life God has given you to live and the person he has created you to be. You are one of a kind. You are His.
So the next time you and I stand in front of the mirror doing our make up and thinking about all the parts of our body we wish we could change, we need to stop what we're doing and listen to God. "The Lord does not look at the things women look at. Women look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (Samuel 16:7). Your body will waste away and will never be perfect by society's standards. So instead of reaching after what you know to be impossible, strain ahead for a heart that is humble and willing to serve. I have found that the more I serve, the less focused I am on myself and the more focused I am on what God values.
Seek after the people that don't make you feel like you need to look a certain way to be important to them. Those who value your heart and character are worthy of your special friendship, and the confidence that comes from God will be unlike anything you or I have experienced.
Remember that the mirror God uses will always reflect the fairest of them all. It will reflect you.
