How many times a day do you think or even say things like “Ugh, I hate how my legs look.” Or “She (she being the girl you saw on the Explore page on Instagram) is way skinnier than me, I need to stop eating and work out more.” Or even things like not feeling like you fit in because you’re more outgoing or shyer than the people you are around.
Think about that for a second—try to count how many times you have done that today. Several times, right?
Now, think about something you are proud of. For me, growing up I was in art lessons and I painted this killer picture of my dog, and it looked dang good. I wanted everyone to see it, I wanted everyone to acknowledge it, and I wanted everyone to know that I was proud of what I had made. I worked hard on it, I spent time in it, and in my mind, I perfected it.
Do you have that thing you’re proud of picked out in your head? Good. Maybe it’s a picture like mine, maybe it’s a song you wrote, or maybe it’s something about your character.
Okay, now, we’re going to go back to the very beginning…Genesis, the literal beginning. When God made the world—the mountains, the oceans, the plains, the lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) he said it all was, and I quote, “Good.” I like to think that He sat back and was like “Ahhh, yep. I did A-Okay.” But then He looked around and decided he wasn’t done. He was pleased with his work, but he knew there was more to be done. He knew there was going to be more to life than plants, animals and pretty landscapes.
And along came human beings. He didn’t just say we were “good.” After Adam and Eve were made in his image, He said, and I quote again—“very good.” That’s different than good, right? Better, even. We are “very good” because we are made in his image.
Let that sink in.
We’re about to come full circle here. Think of the thing you’re really proud of again. What if someone told you that they don’t like how you drew your dog, wrote your song or choreographed your dance, and that they would have done it another, “better” way? That would hurt your feelings, right? Because you worked so hard on it and you love it just the way it is. You did it in the way you thought was best.
So, back to the start of this article—saying we don’t like this feature or this quality about ourselves and comparing ourselves to the way others were created is essentially telling God “Hey, I don’t like how you made me this way.” And, “I wish you would have made me different.” God does not make mistakes. He just doesn’t. He made you just the way He wanted in his image. If you don’t believe me, that’s OK — but there is Scripture to back me up.
“I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:14
“For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works,” Ephesians 2:10
“You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” Songs of Solomon 4:7
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
Believe me now?
What I want to hit home to girls everywhere, every age and walk of life is that you are altogether beautiful because you are His. He has created us in the exact way he wants us to be and he thinks we are perfect. He delights in us. He thinks we are totally perfect. So the next time you start to think, “I don’t like (fill in the blank) about myself.” Replace it with scripture. Replace it with the sweet words God says about you — not what others or you have to say about yourself. Replace it with truth. And remember whose voice really matters.
