What IS Beautiful?

Beautiful-what is it exactly? We throw the word around and act as if we know what it is, when in reality, we have no idea. Hollywood, magazines and blogs all try to define it. The honest truth is-everyone of you girls are drop dead gorgeous! No, seriously! God made you so precious! We girls often have a hard time with this, though I can't really tell you the reason for this. We put ourselves down in our thoughts, "I'm not pretty enough." or "I'm not skinny enough." Too tall, too short  too skinny, too fat, where does it end? I honestly believe every person has something about themselves that they don't like. 

A Smile Is Your Best Accessory!

The realization that we're not perfect can be a good thing, in some cases. The Bible mentions many times how much God hates pride- 

• "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished." Proverbs 16:5
• "One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor." Proverbs 29:23
• See also: Galatians 6:3, Proverbs 27:2 and James 4:6

So obviously, it's very clear that we shouldn't run around being proud of ourselves and screaming it in the streets to every person we pass! However, I don't believe we should be ashamed of our looks either. The perfect balance comes when we  realize God made us beautiful, we didn't really have anything to do with it! 

Then there's the other side-self hate. Otherwise known as; body bashing, low self esteem, ingratitude and many others. I'm not going to tell you that I'm always happy with my hair, or always happy with my body! But when the negative thoughts start coming, I have a challenge for you. I want you to look yourself straight in the eye (in the mirror of course!) and say "You don't define me, God made me beautiful." And then don't allow yourself to dwell on the negative thoughts, keep repeating it in your head and above all else, pray! Ask God to help you see yourself the way He sees you, stunning and perfect in your own way. 

You should also keep in mind that your outward beauty is only a small part of who you are! I've known people who wouldn't have been considered outwardly beautiful, but as I got to know them, they became beautiful because they had a beautiful personality, a love for Christ. On the other side of things, I've known "beautiful people" that when I got to know them, their true character came through and they became ugly to me. Not because they were, outwardly, but because their heart wasn't beautiful.    

And now I have another hard challenge for you-I want you to comment on this post and list 3 physical qualities, or character qualities that you like about yourself! I know, this can be a hard exercise, don't worry! No one is timing you! 

    

"Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:3-4