Battling a low physique picture and low self-confidence about your appears to be like? Use these Bible verses on magnificence to see what God has to say.
The definition of magnificence is consistently evolving. For probably the most half, magnificence has been restricted to our outward look. After we are all dolled up, we’d really feel lovely or obtain compliments that don’t come as steadily as after we first get up within the morning with mattress head, or after we’ve spent the day in our sweat pants and t-shirt.
The media, specifically, has created an enviable picture of what magnificence is. In America, that always means skinny and tall with all the proper curves in all the proper locations, freed from stretch marks, muffin tops, and different blemishes. It has even gone so far as ensuring physique sorts, nostril shapes, eye colours, or options “developments.”
Within the pursuit of reaching these magnificence requirements, many ladies have fallen prey to the lie that who they’re, and the way God has made them, doesn’t stay as much as the ever-changing magnificence requirements round us (if you wish to combat these lies, be sure to be taught easy methods to take your ideas captive).
This has led many to change their physique and face, whether or not briefly by make-up and equipment or completely by surgical procedure and train, to attain these specific concepts of magnificence.
Sadly, the sweetness epidemic we stay in is rapidly creating discontentment, low vanity, comparability, envy, division, and resentment within the hearts of many who really feel that they fall in need of this unreachable, and unrealistic customary.
The world’s definition of magnificence creates such an unrealistic expectation that it destroys so many ladies’s physique picture.
These are just some signs that we learn in Scripture which might be proof of the flesh and not the works of the Spirit.
In some ways, the fruit that has grown from the world’s magnificence platform and requirements transfer us, not solely away from dwelling godly lives, rooted within the Spirit, but additionally leads us away from what true magnificence actually appears to be like like.
On the one hand, it’s vital for us, particularly as Christians to know that what God creates is nice, and that He created us. He formed every one in all us, and He made us in His knowledge, and love.
We’re at first made in God’s picture, which implies that all of us have inherent worth that nobody can take away from us, and it doesn’t change every time we don’t match the invoice for the following fashionable magnificence pattern.
Alternatively, it is usually vital to appreciate that a lot of the world’s obsession with outward magnificence is absolutely an obsession with self (I’m positive you’ve seen the large push towards self-love, particularly on the subject of our our bodies). The world appears to be like inward, and fixes its eyes on itself.
On the planet, what you appear like on the skin is supposed to provide you validation, and is what is targeted on as a strategy to enhance your confidence and vanity. Primarily, it’s the way you earn your value.
However Scripture teaches us a special type of magnificence.
That magnificence is just not fixated on outward appearances and isn’t obsessive about self. As Christians, our value comes from Christ and is unshakable.
We must always completely care for ourselves, and there may be nothing mistaken with having fun with good clothes or sporting make-up. However we should always at all times be on-guard in opposition to making magnificence an idol.
- How do these issues possess us?
- Can we really feel like we will’t stay with out it?
- Are we depending on it to really feel lovely?
- Have you learnt that, no matter what you’re sporting or the variety of likes on an image on Instagram, that you’re nonetheless simply as worthy?
In the event you ever want a reminder of God’s view of you, and what He sees as lovely, listed below are just a few Bible verses so that you can flip to.
Bible Verses on Magnificence
1. 1 Samuel 16:7
“However the LORD mentioned to Samuel, ‘Don’t think about his look or his peak, for I’ve rejected him. The LORD doesn’t take a look at the issues man appears to be like at. Man appears to be like on the outward look, however the LORD appears to be like on the coronary heart.’”
I believe it’s vital to begin with this verse, as a result of we get to see what really issues. As Christians, our first precedence is to concern the Lord. In scripture, there are lots of cases the place scripture talks about what a snare it’s to concern man. A special phrase we’d use for that is “folks pleasing.”
But when our first precedence is to concern God, slightly than to concern man, we now have to ask ourselves what it’s that God appears to be like like. On this verse the following king of Israel is being chosen, and one in all Samuel’s first instincts is to guage by look. However God’s response is, “don’t think about his look.”
It’s not about how tall he’s, or how good-looking he could be. God hadn’t chosen him for that exact place, and his outward look didn’t affect it in any respect. As an alternative, God appeared on the coronary heart, and it was David’s coronary heart that He checked out, and who He selected as king.
In a world that focuses on outward appearances, we now have a God who appears to be like at our hearts, and that’s the place we should always place our focus too.
2. Psalm 139:14
“I reward you as a result of I’m fearfully and splendidly made; your works are great, I do know that full nicely.”
Have you ever ever appeared within the mirror and brought a second to provide God reward for a way He has created you? I do know it’s usually simpler to look within the mirror and select all of the issues that you simply could be dissatisfied about.
However how would our mindset change in direction of ourselves, others and God after we, identical to the Psalmist, give God reward for a way He created us?
Whether or not we don’t really feel lovely, or we don’t stay as much as the world’s customary, or maybe we do stay as much as the world’s customary, our magnificence is just not measured by these opinions and even our personal opinion. It’s based mostly on the truth that we now have been created by God. What he creates is nice.
I like the phrases that David used right here, “fearfully and splendidly.” For God to create us fearfully and splendidly speaks of the cautious, and masterful intent when He made us.
He didn’t create us in a careless method, however He made us with intention, He created us with a function, to know and revere Him. He made us uniquely and crafted us superbly.
3. Proverbs 31:30
“Allure is misleading, and sweetness is fleeting; however a girl who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
Most of us have heard of, or learn Proverbs 31 sooner or later in our lives. At any time when we hear of that scripture our minds might rapidly simply flip to ” The Proverbs 31 girl.” You may usually discover this passage mentioned and studied in ladies’s teams and Bible research.
For probably the most half, it has served as a tenet to us of what a godly girl appears to be like like, and the type of spouse Solomon is instructing his son to search for.
It’s wonderful that admits the entire qualities which might be famous down within the passage of what this girl is like, the author consists of this bit about look. He tells his son to be sensible, to do not forget that appeal may be misleading. It could seem like one thing that it’s not, it could appear like it’s going to result in life however would possibly steer you into the claws of dying.
However then he talks about magnificence, the outward facet of magnificence, and he says magnificence is fleeting. In different phrases, it’s one of many issues that change, it could possibly’t be the one or most vital a part of discovering a spouse, or of being a spouse.
There’s one thing that far outlasts our bodily magnificence, and that’s our hearts. A coronary heart whose posture in direction of God is one in all reverence and awe. That’s the type of magnificence that must be valued and praised.
4. 1 Peter 3:3-4
“Your magnificence shouldn’t come from outward adornments, corresponding to braided hair and the sporting of gold jewellery and superb garments. As an alternative, it must be that of your interior self, the unfading fantastic thing about a delicate and quiet spirit, which is of nice value in God’s sight.”
Typically this verse can simply be taken out of context, so earlier than we speak about what it means, it’s mandatory to speak about what it doesn’t imply. When Peter refers to those outward adornments and equipment, he’s not telling ladies that they’re not allowed to braid their hair, put on gold jewellery or superb clothes.
As an alternative, he says that the fantastic thing about a girl shouldn’t come from this stuff. In different phrases, it shouldn’t be our sole focus, and what we rely on for our magnificence. We will do our hair, and put on lovely clothes, however that isn’t what our major focus is or what offers us worth.
He reminds us that what’s going on within us is what we frequently overlook in an effort to give attention to what’s on the skin. However we now have all of it twisted.
It’s the interior self, the guts that’s after Christ, and submits to His reign in her life that really begins to radiate the one magnificence that lives on perpetually.
On the planet, every little thing is usually put collectively completely on the skin, whereas the within is uncared for. Although the world locations loads of worth on the outward look, this isn’t what strikes the guts of God.
It’s a light and quiet spirit, one which doesn’t want the eye or approval of the world, however seeks solely to stay for her Lord. This coronary heart, this inward place, slightly than the outward look, is treasured in God’s sight.
