It doesn’t matter what your size, any shape or form, most
women at one time or another do not like what they see in the mirror; some are
never happy at all. This is sad. This is
wrong. This is not healthy. This is a lie.
I had a realization, revelation, whatever you want to call
it this morning. I got up this morning,
got dressed, made hubby lunch and coffee and kissed him out the door. I then greeted children, directed them for
the day’s activities, loved on my houseplants, and then I had to use the
bathroom.
Then I saw myself in the mirror. “Blah, what a mess.” That was my first thought upon what I
saw. I got dressed and had not bothered
to look in the mirror; I was not going anywhere. I was focused on loving my family-prom queen
not needed. But as THAT thought ran
through my head, so did countless others telling me why that thought was not
valid. As well as how so many women have
the same thoughts or worse, daily.
I know this, because I read it so often on media. My usual thought to those with the same
thinking is stop that stinking thinking.
Then there is the frustration with those that, in my opinion, are
beautiful-and oh how I wish I looked half what they do. I hear it or read it frequently; “I’m too
fat,” “the baby bump, marks, ______________ (fill in
blank) won’t go away;” And countless other thoughts of oneself that are
negative.
There are equally countless things out there, claiming to fix ALL those issues. Some issues may be
valid, but most are not. And most of the fixers do not address the HEART of the
issue. How many “perfect” people do you
know, who talk bad about themselves? I
personally, have lost count.
So as these numerous thoughts ran through my head this
morning, so did this verse from Isaiah 61:3.
“and provide for those
who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit
of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”
The heart problem many of us share is not seeing ourselves
for who we are, whose we are, and the simple fact that we ARE precious in HIS sight. If I were a betting person, I bet that
despite what we see in the mirror, despite what we may think, there are
friends, and spouses that see us as beautiful, period. Even with major bedhead,
or crinkly clothes.
The truth is “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is
fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is
to be praised; Proverbs 31:30.” I think that a woman who fears the Lord will
always be beautiful, because true beauty comes from the heart not the outward
things we see. I also think that if we
have negative thoughts of ourselves, that negative stuff can seep out and
affect the outward beauty.
There are enough
negative people in the world spewing junk at us, and the world around us. Don’t add fuel to the fire by talking badly
about yourself. That is not from
God. Those are lies of the world. Just look into the eyes of your children they
will tell the truth. They will and do love you just as you are. So does your
spouse. So do your friends. Above all God does.
There is picture I
see a lot lately of a young girl carefree putting a crown on her head. I really
like the caption. “On the darkest days
when I feel inadequate, unloved, and unworthy, I remember whose daughter I am
and I straighten my Crown!”
Ladies, men too, straighten your Crown!
Okay, so we may not
always like what we see in the mirror.
Seriously, yard work can be messy.
Painting can get messy. Caring for our child can get crazy gross.
Looking in the mirror then, might deserve a personal reprimand to “clean
thyself.” However, never is it okay, to
look in the mirror and tell GOD His work is ugly. Last I heard, “God don’t make no junk.”
YOU are
beautiful. YOU are loved. God is good and He loves you right now, this
moment, in the middle of your crazy. He’s got your back, and there is nothing you can do to make him love you
less. We do a disservice to our friends
and spouses when we down talk ourselves.
What your ears hear your heart believes.
We speak truth to our children and spouses and friends. Speak truth you yourself and repeat as
needed. Shout the mouth of the liar and do not allow him a foothold.
Straighten your Crown! You are a child of the most high
and he made you beautiful. Now go let your light shine.
