Let's face it.
There are things we would all like to change about our physical appearances.
"If I could just lose five pounds. If I could just tone my abs. If I could just grow two inches taller. If I could just bench a little more. Then I would be really happy. I would be satisfied in my own body. I would be confident."
Do you ever feel like this? I know I do. But what's wrong with this thought process? It's okay to want to be attractive, isn't it? Of course!
If this desire to be attractive is actually a valid feeling, then why am I always so discouraged when I think about it?
Because you're looking at your body from the wrong angle! No, I don't mean you have a "better side" (but we all do). I mean you have the wrong motives and your starting on the wrong foundation.
This may sound cliché, but the best way to start looking and feeling great on the outside is to remember who you are on the inside. Here are some Bible verses to help you remember who you really are:
Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Here's some logic for you: God does not make mistakes. God made you. You are on purpose and you are beautiful in God's eyes.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Did you hear that? If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. You are a temple. So treat yourself like one. Yes, you are "fearfully and wonderfully made," but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want with your body. This can go both ways. Don't fill your body with junk, but don't starve yourself either. Take care of that temple.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
As Christians, we must take care of ourselves both physically and spiritually. We have an eternal reason to take care of ourselves. Your spiritual health is of the utmost importance. But that does not mean that you should neglect your physical health. God cares about both.
So yes, it is perfectly okay for you to want to be attractive. It's great that you want to maintain a healthy weight! But don't starve yourself over it. Don't shed tears looking in the mirror, wishing you were someone else.
God made you beautifully. He wants you to be healthy. He wants you to love yourself and take care of the temple where His Spirit resides.
But do so in a way that honors Him. Remember where and Who you came from. Remember how much He loves you. Don't beat yourself up over your physical appearance. Remember your heart is what matters most and go from there.
And if you want to change your appearance, go for it! Go get that rockin' bod! Go eat that salad! Heck! You can even have a doughnut every once in a while! But don't do it for anyone else. Do it for yourself and for the God that created you to be the best that you can be.
