Inner Beauty

Unfortunately, this month we were unable to have a meeting. We still would like to share thoughts on this month's topic!

For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full and well. 

    - Psalm 139: 13-14

            Society tells us that beauty is solely based upon physical appearance. A beautiful woman seems to be the one with long, straight hair, without blemishes, a fit body, the list can go on and on. The full meaning of beauty goes so much deeper than that. God's definition of beauty lies within our hearts.Your true, inner beauty is based on the confidence you have in yourself to know your identity in Christ, to know that you are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. You could have a great physical appearance, but is your heart in shape? We were created in God's image (Genesis 1:27), in order to reflect Him, not physically, but spiritually. How can I possibly reflect One so perfect and flawless, you may ask? The answer is to focus. Set your eyes on Christ. Realize that your validation comes from Him and Him ALONE. You don't need attention from the opposite sex, you don't need 100 likes on Facebook and Instagram, you don't need to be in a relationship to boost your confidence. You are so special and unique that God took the time to count every hair on your head, every freckle on your face, to mold the shape of your cheeks and most importantly to give you life. Embrace your natural features, don't seek to enhance them. That's almost like telling God you're not happy with His work. Just as much as you take joy in Him blessing you, see the way He created you as one of the biggest blessings you've ever received!
            God isn't concerned about your physical features, because He knows His works are good (Genesis 1:31).God looks at the personality that shapes your heart. All the outward beauty is fine and dandy now and will eventually fade but a beautiful soul will eternally please Him. Back to reflecting Him... A great way to start is with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) ; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness,gentleness and  self-control. Meditating on each one separately really does help to strengthen whichever weaknesses you may have (finding verses that talk about each one, thinking of ways to apply them to your daily life or even reflecting on times you could have used one or all of them). Now, this isn't to say that just because you are one of God's great creations that you shouldn't take care of yourself. Because we were created by God, we are His temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells. That means our bodies are SACRED and we all know that we should treat anything sacred with care. This includes everyday things like good hygiene (showering and brushing teeth twice a day, wearing deodorant and lotion), eating right! (a personal weakness, it took me a long time to finally let go of my fast food demons), staying active, yearly check-ups and so much more! Always remember, you are God's precious and unique creation, embrace and take care of yourself! xoxo