Change Your Thinking, Not Your Appearance

Here’s a question for you. A few women are walking and chatting on a path in the park. What do you think they are discussing? Ok, got it fixed in your mind?

If you said body image, weight loss, or exercise, then you win the prize! 

Today I was walking, meandering really, in the park. Just me and Jesus, chatting about what I should write about for my first blog on my author website, when I was passed by two different sets of women. The first set, talking about weight loss. The second set, talking about the latest Instagram challenge – posting a picture of yourself from behind!  Insta-Yuck!

Now, clearly this Instagram challenge was designed for all women to feel worse about themselves or to create division amongst women through the evil comparison game. We all know we play it, and from experience we can say there are no winners. Just women face down, crying in the mud.

Body image is so closely tied to worth and identity, it can be a painful topic.

I’d like to share with you how Jesus recently turned my thinking upside down.

A while ago I was lamenting how I wished I could just text Jesus and he would quickly text back. Then I thought, well, why not? I started journaling these texts with Jesus, and I’d like to share this one with you. His response stopped me in my tracks.

I began by writing out all the “shoulds.” I should lose weight, I should exercise, I should eat right. Then the “wishes.” I wish I was confident in how I looked. I wish someone loved me the way I look now. You get the point. It all boiled down to this: “I’m not good enough the way I look today.”

Flag on the play, ladies! Jesus wasn’t putting up with any of those lies.

Here’s how the conversation went:

Me: When I think about all of this, how warped my thinking is, I despair. Good grief, I know it’s full of lies and insecurities. How could I ever find happiness and love? How, I ask you?!

Jesus: Begin by accepting my unconditional love. You are my treasure. I rejoice when I see you coming. I get tingles when you spend time with me. I see your beauty. I don’t have to settle. I want you, your presence, your company. You deal with the lies you believe about yourself by settling into my presence and letting me whisper truth over you, again and again. Beloved. Lovely. Desired. Cherished. My beautiful rose. 

Whew! Go on — read his response again. He says that about you, my dearest friend. He is excited to spend time with you. He cherishes you! You are his beautiful treasure. He gets tingles, for goodness sake! 

Yet, even in the face of such wonderful truth, I still continued to question him. I am so thankful he is patient in repeating his message. Again, again, again. Check out the best part of our convo in the text image below:

He doesn’t think your physical appearance is lacking at all!

As women, we spend so much time trying to get to the right look, size, or comfort level.

In his presence, we are just the way he designed. Exquisite – right this moment. You’re asking why? Because he designed you, like an artist sculpts a work of art. That’s why!

So get on with beautiful self – hold your head a bit higher today. Yell the word “exquisite!” at the top of your lungs when the Enemy comes knocking. You know he will, but you don’t have to listen. 

You are a treasure. Your Papa said so.

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.

We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8 NIV

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