If there’s one thing that I’ve always felt insecure about it’s my appearance. No amount of compliments or others telling you that you look great can actually make you feel different if you don’t think you’re beautiful. Of course there are good days when I actually like what I see in the mirror, but sometimes I just wish I had clear skin and nice hair amongst other things… As with most characteristics that I lack e.g. vocal, musical or artistic skill, I ask God why some people seem to hit the ‘creation jackpot’ and they look amazing AND they can sing and are incredibly creative etc , but I never did? It didn’t seem fair. In reality I’m probably making the situation sound slightly worse than it is, but I’ve honestly thought about this on several occasions.
However I, and perhaps you too at times, have become side-tracked by the wrong kind of beauty: physical beauty.
‘Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!’
(1 Chronicles 16:29b)
Given that beauty is subjective there’s every chance that the person who I think ‘has it all’ is actually unholy, and therefore ‘ugly’ in the sight of God. Whereas somebody who I think isn’t as good looking, is beautiful in the eyes of God. The Bible addresses this point further in Proverbs:
‘Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.’ (Proverbs 31:30)
Accepting the way that I have been created started with me realising that your exterior does not define who you are, or secure your salvation. By cultivating holiness you are by extension becoming more like Christ, and truly there is none more beautiful than Him. Bearing this in mind, consider this verse:
‘For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.’ (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
In essence this verse is reminding us that the death of Christ and our love for Him should change our perspective and how we think and act; it’s no longer about us but about Him. Your insecurities whatever they may be can cause you to continue ‘living for yourself’ and subsequently forget to focus on Him. Ironically the person who I blamed for not making me perfect enough was the person who reminded me that I was looking at the wrong thing and I would be beautiful as long as I pursued holiness.
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