I
confess. As far back as I can remember I’ve always had low self-esteem
and a poor self-image. As a child I was painfully shy. When I reached
high school, I’d walk the crowed hallway with my head down to avoid eye
contact. No matter how hard I tried to act as if I had it all together,
whenever I looked into my bedroom mirror it revealed something
different. I can still recall the negative self-talk as I peered into
the glass.
“You’re too short. You’re not smart enough or even likable to others. Your friends put up with you.”
Everyday, I wished I were different—taller, thinner, popular, pretty.
I wonder. Do you ever look
in the mirror and wished you were different? Maybe you feel you’re too
short, or too tall, or too thin, or too heavy. The list never seems to
end. It might be physical dissatisfaction, or feeling as though you’re not
smart enough or outgoing enough that drags you down. I understand. I
also know this has to change.
There are a multitude of
studies that indicate the way you and I see ourselves determines to a
large degree the way we act and react in life, That a person’s
self-perception, self-worth, self-esteem tends to be a leading factor in
her life.
In other words, if I see
myself as a loser, I’ll end up acting like a loser. If I see myself as a
victim, I’ll tend to let people victimize me. If I see myself as
uncreative, I’ll never come up with any creative ideas. If I see myself
as a piece of junk, I’ll begin to think I’m garbage.
The world’s definition of
beauty only makes matters worse. The world tells us to be beautiful, we
must have no defects, we must remain forever young, and we must maintain
a perfect figure and have a “cover girl” face. I don’t know about you,
but I don’t measure up to this image. And that depresses me because I
long to be more beautiful, successful, and confident.
Did you know the desire to
be beautiful comes from God?
However, because we live in a fallen world,
we seek the good things of God in unhealthy ways. God’s definition of
beauty is different from Hollywood’s.
“Your
beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and
the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be
that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the
holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful” (1Peter 3:4).
When I read what God says is
beautiful, I realized I had allowed the world to shape my understanding
about beauty instead of my Creator. God says it’s a quite and gently
spirit is more beautiful than the latest fashion.
Our world encourages women
to cultivate a beauty that only last for a brief amount of time. God
encourages women to cultivate a beauty that will never fade, but will
only grow more attractive with the passing of time. In fact, when you
become more and more the woman God has created you to be, there will be
something beautiful about you that has nothing to do with outward
beauty.
I decided from that day
forward to stop the negative self-talk and look into the mirror of God’s
Word to see what He thinks of me. It was life changing.
Today, I’m confident—not in
myself—but in who God says I am. This didn’t happen over night. It took
more than reading and memorizing verses that describe the way God sees
me. It took faith. I had to believe His Word over my negative thoughts. Once I believed—really believed the transformation began.
Allow me to share what God says about you!
1.) You Are Loved (John 3:16). God so loves you he withheld nothing—giving his only Son to die in your place
2.) You Are Chosen (1Peter 2:9). Before God created the heavens and earth, He chose you to be his very own.
3.) You Are Wonderfully And Fearfully Made (Ps
139: 14) God designed you in your mother’s womb. He planned your eye
color, hair color and skin color to fulfill a specific purpose that is
yours alone.
4.) You Are Beautiful In His Sight (Song of Solomon 4:7, Gen 1:31). You were created in God’s image, and He declares all his work is wonderful! Including you!
5.) You Are Forgiven (Eph 1:7). God doesn’t draw back from your sin. He draws near and forgives all.
6.) You Have A Future (Jeremiah
29:11). When you think you’re at the end of your rope, you’re not at
the end of hope. God has promised you a bright future.
7.) You Are Part Of A Royal Priesthood (1Peter 2:9). You have purpose. God calls you to minister to others as he has ministered to you.
8.) You Are An Overcomer (1John 4:4). Hang-ups, habits and hurts can’t keep you down because greater is the Spirit in you than the spirit of this world.
9.) You Are Empowered (2Corn 13:4). The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in you daily!
10) You Belong To God (John 1:12). You are a child of God because you have believed.
