[Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.]
[I Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."]
[Proverbs 31:3 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.]
[1 Peter 3:3-4 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.]
[1 Timothy 4:8 Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.]
Today, I went shopping for a new outfit to wear to a bridal shower tomorrow. I was immediately reminded of why I shop only when absolutely necessary.... I HATE seeing myself in the dressing room mirror...Yikes! And it's gotten worse over the last few months. I'm ready for the magic pill that will make my extra pounds just m.e.l.t. away. In chocolate, please. (That's a fat joke!)
There are times when I am pretty hard on myself for the lack of physical beauty that is me. I'm short, overweight, and have a jawline that I credit my maternal grandmother with. Making matters worse, all the cute clothes are in tiny sizes. The clothing options for anyone above a size 12 are quite limited, and often make the wearer look pregnant or 93. And I avoid having photos made, because they look like me!
But the verses above remind me that my true beauty isn't measured by the scale, or the opinion of someone else's standards. It's HIS standards that concern me. He looks at my heart... am I fostering the things that He says make me beautiful? Do I fear the LORD? Am I exercising my spirit? Am I living and breathing the fruits of the spirit.. you know.. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self Control.
Don't get me wrong...I'm not okay with the extra numbers I see on the scale. I will be focusing on that. But the MOST important thing about my beauty is not about what I see in the mirror. It's about what is seen on the outside (my actions towards others, my words, my worship, my service, etc.) because of what I have on the inside... I have the creator of the universe Who has adopted me as His own. And He tells me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made!
But it doesn't stop there. He commands me to spread the word.
[I Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."]
[Proverbs 31:3 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.]
[1 Peter 3:3-4 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.]
[1 Timothy 4:8 Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.]
__________________________________________________
Today, I went shopping for a new outfit to wear to a bridal shower tomorrow. I was immediately reminded of why I shop only when absolutely necessary.... I HATE seeing myself in the dressing room mirror...Yikes! And it's gotten worse over the last few months. I'm ready for the magic pill that will make my extra pounds just m.e.l.t. away. In chocolate, please. (That's a fat joke!)
There are times when I am pretty hard on myself for the lack of physical beauty that is me. I'm short, overweight, and have a jawline that I credit my maternal grandmother with. Making matters worse, all the cute clothes are in tiny sizes. The clothing options for anyone above a size 12 are quite limited, and often make the wearer look pregnant or 93. And I avoid having photos made, because they look like me!
But the verses above remind me that my true beauty isn't measured by the scale, or the opinion of someone else's standards. It's HIS standards that concern me. He looks at my heart... am I fostering the things that He says make me beautiful? Do I fear the LORD? Am I exercising my spirit? Am I living and breathing the fruits of the spirit.. you know.. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self Control.
Don't get me wrong...I'm not okay with the extra numbers I see on the scale. I will be focusing on that. But the MOST important thing about my beauty is not about what I see in the mirror. It's about what is seen on the outside (my actions towards others, my words, my worship, my service, etc.) because of what I have on the inside... I have the creator of the universe Who has adopted me as His own. And He tells me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made!
But it doesn't stop there. He commands me to spread the word.
(...to be continued...)
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