Read His Words Before Ours!
Matthew 11:28-30
Psalms 23:1-6
Isaiah 40:6-8
Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalms 139:13-18
Flawless.
I don’t know about you, but when I hear that word, my thoughts are instantly drawn to my physical attributes. Maybe it’s because I’m a photographer, and so much of my job is portraying others in the best possible light.
Maybe it’s the selfie-stick culture that we live in.
Or maybe it is because I’m human.
Whatever the reason, rather than being drawn to character traits, admirable choices, honesty, selflessness, joy, or any other intangible attribute, my mind instead turns to the physical.
My skin tone. Blemishes. My weight. The tiny laugh lines that have begun to form around my eyes. My too-big nose. The chin I wish was more slim. The few gray hairs that I find from time to time. The way one of my eyes looks bigger than the other. I am currently in my third trimester, so I can’t even see my feet right now, but I know they are rough and not very pretty.
I have recently realized that the less quality time I spend with God, the more I begin to focus on my physical attributes.
I don’t generally consider myself to be an insecure person, but lately I am so easily convinced that I’m not (thin enough, young enough, outgoing enough, pretty enough…) And I know that directly coincides with the pace our lives have set lately and that I have not been making as much time for God lately.
I’m not (and never will be) flawless.
Yet so easily I forget that I’m not called to be flawless.
I’m called to be humble.
Broken.
Loving.
Kind.
Patient.
Obedient.
Faithful.
Not flawless.
Battling the three enemies of our beauty is a challenge best accomplished when we turn our gaze to Christ, His word, and how He views us instead of our own perspective.
We are each fearfully and wonderfully made.
God doesn’t make us haphazardly.
He takes great care when designing each of us, and He makes no mistakes.
The little wrinkles and gray hairs that trouble me? He placed them there as He bestowed wisdom and discernment upon me.
My eyes? He gave them to me so I could see others with His vision and heart.
And the more time I spend with Him, the more He shares His heart with me.
How He sees me.
His heart for others.
And He shapes my heart to mirror His.
I would much rather reflect Him than my own intentions!
As I write this, tomorrow is the seventh anniversary of my wedding to my husband. This past weekend, we were blessed to go on a date night, and I dressed up and wore full makeup for the first time in… I honestly couldn’t tell you how long! With two toddlers and a new Tiny that will arrive soon, I do not always get the chance to style my hair or apply full makeup. (Let’s be honest. If I make it out of the house with children fed, all our belongings in tow and without some form of bodily excrement on me I feel like it’s a win.) I was so excited to spend some alone time with my husband – it was ridiculous! It took us a while to figure out what to do, and we spent the entire drive there talking – without interruptions! It’s amazing to me how much having one’s undivided attention will do for a relationship. Even if it’s just one date night every few months.
I can’t help but recognize that the same is true in my relationship with God. When I fail to plan and make time to spend in prayer and listening to Him, my spirit hungers for that fulfillment. Peace. Joy.
I miss basking in His fullness.
Of course, He is always there, but when I am not making the commitment to just be present, my spirit is affected. I hunger for those things, and when I am not spiritually fed I unintentionally find myself searching for validation and fulfillment elsewhere.
And this world does not have the things that will satisfy me.
No matter how busy, hectic and overwhelming life can be, I need to focus on spending time resting in Him. He is the only One that can restore my soul and satisfy my spirit, and His thoughts about me are far more precious than I can even comprehend.
Regardless of what the world may tell me, He is the only One that is flawless.
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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Beauty Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies in Beauty!
I allow my weight to define who I am instead of remembering I am a daughter of the one true King! I was happy with the weight I lost, smallest I had ever been since like Jr. High, and then all these women around me started trying to lose weight. They were all smaller then me. I let their doubts and insecurites get into my head and I quit listening to God. I was happy my gluttony was under control because of Jesus and I was fine and then the voices started. “If they aren’t good enough for themselves then… Read more »
Amanda, thank you SO much for being vulnerable and sharing a piece of your story – so brave! Know that I am praying for you as you take your insecurities to the King who died to make you His Own. You are so loved.
You are exactly enough!
Sweet sister. Your transparency is encouraging, and your words ring with truth. It is so easy to forget what really defines us, and I completely relate to this. Thank you for being real. LOVE!