To the Girl Battling Body Image
To the Girl Battling Body Image,
We live in a modern age where super-model skinny is adored and even males are encouraged to squeeze into skinny jeans.
Society endorses those who are rail-thin with air-brushed skin and a straight, dazzling smile.
That leaves the rest of us plain -Janes feeling awkward in our own skin.
Everywhere you turn, you’re bombarded by unrealistic and unhealthy standards of how you should look, how you should dress, and ways to improve who you are.
Yet that’s not reality, or the standard to which you should try to attain.
As you journey towards a healthy body image, God beckons you to examine His principles and to confidently accept your identity as His beloved bride.
You were made in God’s image and created with a purpose
Your body was fashioned and molded by God, and every aspect of YOU was chosen by HIM.
Your body, created in His image, has a special purpose that only you can fill. No matter what the world says about you {you’re too,…. fat, skinny, tall, short, dark, light, etc…}, there is a reason why God made you to look the way you do.
Nothing about you is a mistake {yes, even the feature you loathe the most!}, and when you fix your eyes on Him, you find true acceptance of and appreciation for the person He created you to be.
Your worth is not measured by your appearance
While popularity by the world’s standards may be based on looks, God doesn’t judge your outward appearance.
He sees your heart.
He sees your motives, your intentions, and really gets who you are as a person. His love isn’t based on your beauty or your talents, He accepts you openly and willingly as you are.
His love is given freely, without restrictions or expectations of perfection. He cherishes you without demands and doesn’t require you to fix yourself up first.
“…People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7
Being healthy involves the spirit, body, and mind
But having a healthy body image isn’t all God demands. The God that created you desires your fellowship, and wants you to know His character and heart by spending time in His Word.
He wants your spirit to be satisfied and to block out the noise of this world by focusing on His Truth, and not the lies of a poisoned society.
He longs for you to experience the joy of a surrendered relationship with Him, and to know true peace in a world of instability.
You become healthy in mind and spirit by growing in your relationship with Him and humbling yourself before Him in prayer.
That intimate relationship will make you shine with a light so bright and pure, that it will radiate through your personality and spirit.
Glowing with the love of the Lord is better than any cosmetic or new outfit, and will make your countenance sparkle and shine with true beauty.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” Matthew 6:22
Your body is a temple
The instant you accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation, your body becomes His temple and dwelling place.
Your body is holy.
It was bought with a price, as Jesus sacrificed Himself for you on the cross, thus making you blameless and complete.
Keep His temple, your precious body, healthy, strong, and pure.
When tempted to abuse His temple by binging or purging, hold on to the truth that God cares how you treat your body.
If you’re involved in unhealthy habits, cling to the promise that God gives you the ability to change. Through His power and might, you can break the pattern you’re in, and find grace in His arms.
He offers a clean slate and the ability to stand firm when tempted, and complete acceptance to come as you are.
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13
Be strong for the battle
As difficult as it may be to understand, we as Christians are at war.
We battle unbelievers who set the standard of beauty for a world poisoned by sin and darkness.
We battle for God’s Truth to be proclaimed and not to fall on deaf ears.
We battle for purity in world that’s been defiled and welcomes perversion.
We battle against the lies of the evil one, whispering that your looks and your personality are not enough.
Sweet friend, the evil one does not want you to have a thriving relationship with the Lord.
He will feed you lies of self-loathing and make you doubt your worth.
But you can overcome those falsehoods, because the blood of Jesus already has overcome it all.
Don’t let insecurities and comparison, the thief of joy, rob you of your outer and inner beauty created your Heavenly Father.
Rest in His promises of purpose for your life, and let Him heal your body image issues once and for all.
His perfect and complete love is the only one who can truly satisfy and can erase your feelings of inadequacy forever .
Many blessings,
Sarah Ann
Talk to your children about a healthy body image and to do something active together to promote family unity. #strongfamilyproject
What aspects of body image do you struggle with? How do you deal with insecurity?
Thank you for sharing these truths, Sarah Ann! I wish so much I could have read something like this as a young girl. I’m trying to teach them to my daughters now! 🙂
May we as moms be intentional about speaking truths of how God sees us, rather than let the world poison their spirits. 🙂
Amen, Sarah! This is such an epidemic in our culture. I have such a passion from the Lord to help change this. I hope we all as sisters in Christ can turn the tide!
Such a great reminder that we are all beautiful in the Lord’s eyes and we are made in His image!
Thank you, Clare!
I’m so glad you wrote this and I’m so excited to share it! These are such important truths that are hard to remember especially in our down times. Lately I’ve been focusing on the body as a temple. Taking in good things and treating it the way it was meant to be. Great post 🙂
Yes! In remembering that the body is our temple sure impacts and helps in those moments of weakness. I’m repeating it to myself today!
Rah Rah! Sarah! Will this principle ever sink in? Neighbors at Holley’s!
I know! I am the same way, yet when I clothe myself in the identity of Christ, that changes my appearance more than I could imagine.
Love your post! What an encouragement. I like every other woman out there have things that I don’t like about myself, but have worked to embrace who God created me to be. I’m above average in height, and it gets pointed out to me more often then I like. I have big hair that was fabulous in the 80’s! I’ve stopped fighting it though and I’ve embraced the curls!
When we try to live up to the world’s standards, we always lose and it only leads to discouragement, depression and anxiety. When we embrace who God created us to be, we can live in freedom, peace and joy. I’m all about that! Thanks again for your words and encouragement!
It can be so hard to remember! 🙂 May we remember our true identity and find our hope in Him.
I think all women and men need to remember this. We are all beautiful and meant to be different. Embrace those curves and show our younger generations that they can embrace theirs too!!
Absolutely! The young girls are watching how we handle ourselves. 🙂
Beautiful and powerful post, Sarah Ann! You have a way of bringing forth truth that is so unique : ) Thank you.