Distorted Beauty.

I'm so fed up! 

Is anyone else out there sick and tired of caring about the way we look? I feel like this world is constantly bombarding us with the message that we are not good enough, and I'm so SICK of it. I keep hearing stories lately about girls and women with eating disorders....And being a college-aged girl living in a suite with 5 other girls, I can attest to being consumed with the standards of beauty at times.

Everyone has something they do not like about themselves. I think it's our nature to pick apart and criticize ourselves by comparing ourselves and our lives to everyone around us. Satan can use these weaknesses to his advantage. It leaves us feeling too ugly, too fat, too skinny, too pale, too shy, too poor, too damaged, too annoying… too anything… and not enough of something else that we think is so lovable about others.Thinking like this is so damaging! Damaging to ourselves, to those around us, and to the cause of Christ that we have been put here to accomplish.

Satan knows exactly what he's doing when it comes to distorting beauty. If Satan can get you to believe you aren't good enough, then you eventually will believe that you can't be used by God. He doesn’t want you to believe that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” He does not want you to find your worth in Jesus Christ, and allow Him to transform your heart to take on the beauty of Jesus. He does not want you believe that you were made for so much more. What Satan DOES want, is for you to believe your worth comes from the number on the scale. He knows that if He can get you to believe that your worth is found in anything but Christ, then you will be defeated in your Christian life. 

I say it is high time that we fight back. We are not summed up in one number on the scale. The pictures on the pages of the magazines have nothing on the pages of God’s word and who they say I truly am.

So easily we buy into the lie that the world has something “on us” and that we need to measure up to the standard it has set for us. We try to put a band-aid over these issues by telling ourselves and each other, “You are beautiful...and unique...and wonderful...and special all on your own.” But without God in the equation, those good feelings will eventually fade. Your worth does not come from the number on the scale, how your body looks today, what other people say about you, how many people check you out, how hot your boyfriend is, or what you do together. It doesn’t come from how many friends you have, how many “likes” your Facebook status gets or how many "retweets" you get on Twitter. It doesn’t come from your parents who never seem to be proud of you no matter what you do. It doesn’t come from your job, or your clothes, your spouse, or your kids. Your worth comes from the One who created you, and has already defined you. That's it. Nothing else gives you worth but this.

The world does not appreciate you for who you are. Most people do not recognize the worth that is found in you because you are a child of Jesus Christ. You are made in His image. Jesus Christ is so beautiful, and when we find our identity in Him alone, we are defined with HIS beauty. Is there anything more beautiful than Jesus? Nope, I pinky promise. Get to know Him, and you will know what I mean. 

 I am not special because of me…what I look like, my personality, who I am, how much money I have, or my performance in my job, school, or sports. However, I am special because of Jesus…..because of all the wonderful things that HE is, and because He lives inside of me and has complete control of my heart. 

You are God’s delight. 

"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 

You are Confident. 

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrew 4:16 

You are the Child of God. 

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children." Romans 8:15-16 

You are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. 

 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:13-14 

You are Loved. 

"But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 

When we embrace all of the names that our Father gives to us rather than the definitions of the world, we learn to see ourselves the way God does. God loves us beyond measure and looks on us with pride when we serve Him. In the next few days, lets take the time to focus on what God has to say about us, rather than the world. Lets be more than conquerors in Christ Nothing is impossible with Him!