In Christ I am beautiful

“You are precious and honored in my sight … because I love you.” Is. 43:4

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Gen.1:31

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Ps. 139:14

I don’t know about you but I’ve had a hard time swallowing this one. You might see the inherent beauty in everyone else around you but  — can you look in the mirror and say to yourself, “hello beautiful!”

I went to a small women’s Bible study once where the guest speaker asked us to take out our makeup mirror and look in it. 

“What do you see?” She asked. And to my utter surprise so many of the answers in that small group were negative — some even voiced degrading comments they’d heard their husbands say. I wasn’t the only one who thought I was less than beautiful. 

For most of my life, I’ve believed that the only beautiful women were the ones on the magazine pages or the movies — but me? Nope. In my twenties when seemingly all of my friends around me were getting married, I was convinced that I wasn’t attractive. Because during my twenties — one of the longest decades of my life — not a single Christian guy asked me out. I wept many tears alone on my pillow in my studio apartment.

Back then, I didn’t know much about my identity in Christ and as far as I can recall no one had ever said, “You’re beautiful.” But as I read God’s Word and learned about inner beauty, I became hopeful. The godly women in the Bible were not only beautiful on the outside but their beauty radiated from the inside. 

By some miracle, after I’d given up on ever getting married and having kids, God brought my husband in the most unlikely of ways. And he will throw me off guard and say, “Hey beautiful!” I used to look away as if he were talking to someone else but these days I just smile. 

When my children were born, I thought they were the most beautiful creatures I’d ever beheld. I’d never tire of looking at them and marvel at how marvelously they were created. Having them helped me to begin to see how my Heavenly Father might see me.

In the garden of Eden after God created Adam and Eve, it says, 

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Gen.1:31

And that is what God says about each of us — looking at his handiwork — not just good but very good. 

The psalmist knew this and declared,

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Ps. 139:14

The prophet Isaiah writes what God says about us, 

“You are precious and honored in my sight … because I love you.” Is. 43:4

You are beautiful, beloved. You are beautiful. I hope and pray you believe that deep in your heart.

On days when I feel less than and unattractive looking into the bathroom mirror, I’ll say aloud “hello beautiful!” And I’m reminded of what my Heavenly Father says about me and the expression on my faces changes.

I want to leave you with this YouTube video that really resonated with me. Her response after someone calls her an old hag is moving and powerful.

#Write28Days. This post is part of a 28-day writing challenge where I’m joining other bloggers to write daily during February. Go here to see the other post in this series — Who I am in Christ.