I haven’t looked in a mirror in days, I haven’t touched my makeup bag in weeks, I haven’t straightened my hair in months, and I don’t remember the last time I’ve used self-tanner. If you know me that’s not normal. Very rarely would you find me outside of the house without makeup, a fake tan, or without my hair done in some way.
I prayed a dangerous prayer awhile back. I prayed asking for wisdom, wisdom to take a step back and evaluate where I was placing my self-worth. What I realized is: #1 be careful what you pray for and #2 I was placing my worth in my outward appearance and the attention that came with it. I realized I had been allowing my value to be tied up in what the world says is beautiful, which made for a life of comparison and insecurity.
What a hard thing to become aware of. But the beauty of a relationship with God is that He meets us in those hard things. He welcomes those hard realizations with open arms. When we come to that point of utter brokenness, He steps in and fills voids. My brokenness made room for Him to show me where HE places my value. He places my value in the truth that He created me in His image, His masterpiece, and because of that there is no flaw in me. He places my worth in qualities that don’t fade with time: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Truly believing that my beauty and value don’t come from outward appearance has been so freeing. I’m able to walk in a bold confidence in who I am as a beautiful daughter of God. Completely accepting that sleek hair, perfect makeup, or being tan doesn’t magically make me beautiful. My beauty comes from Christ in me. My unfading gentle spirit, grace, mercy, and faith. Things that can’t be changed from the outside, qualities worth so much more than outward beauty.
This doesn’t mean I’m never going to wear makeup again or never care about what I look like. It just means I now understand where my worth lies, and it’s not in how I look on the outside.
As hard as it may be, I challenge you to pray this reckless prayer. Ask God to show you where you place your worth. Whether that be in job/school performance, in a sorority or fraternity, in outward appearances, or in anything that isn’t of Him. I challenge you to take that false sense of identity, give it completely over to Him, and watch Him fill your brokenness with His unbridled love.
1 Peter 3:3-5 “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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.”
Proverbs 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
1 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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Song of Solomon 4:7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”
Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
