Sunday Reflections Fifty

By Taylor Kiser

Hi Sunday peeps!

Do you ever have weeks where you feel just, well to be blunt, ugly?

This is how I’ve been feeling lately. I can’t look in the mirror without seeing a flaw: my eyelashes aren’t curly enough, my hair is too dark, my legs are too short, my nose has a bump etc.

I literally see nothing good.

Then, I go on Instagram, and see everyone else looking perfect and beautiful…aaaaaaand,  I feel WORSE ABOUT MY SELF.

As women, I know that we’ve all been there.

Then, I started reading a book called “Wanting To Be Her” by Michelle Graham (great read so far about defining beauty by God’s standards!) and I was blown away by all the stats it shares about the amount of money spent on cosmetic surgeries, makeup, clothing…basically anything to help us feel pretty.

It makes me sad.

You and I are beautiful daughters of God, but why are we not living like it? Why do we slather a bunch of stuff on our face, and spend money on cute clothes so that other’s will think we look good?

I am NOT saying it’s wrong to wear makeup (I am a makeup artist after all!) or want to be in fashion. I LOVE both those things, and that won’t change. But, I feel like our motives are messed up. Or at least mine are.

My motives are to look good for OTHER people, so that they will think I am valuable. The thought of “I should look nice because God gave me this body and I want to honor it” never crosses my mind.

However, as Psalm 34:5 says “Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Our beauty comes from looking to God. Not looking to others.

So, this week, I have been quest-ing (is that a word?) to find Bible verses about beauty and identity, so that I can counter-act those terrible, awful “I’m ugly” thoughts with scriptural TRUTH. And, I thought you might benefit from them to. Here’s how GOD sees YOU:

1. God’s Handiwork. Ephesians 2:10  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
2. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139: 14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
3. Beautiful and flawless. Song of Songs 4:7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you”
4. A new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come”
5. A Victor. Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
6. His special possession. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
7. Chosen by God. John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
8. Valuable. Matthew 10:31 “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
9. Made in His image. Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
10. Known by God. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Now, let’s go into the world, walking in THAT identity – and not seeking identity and worth in our outward appearance.

Happy Sunday!