You don't know you're beautiful
Hey girl. You are beautiful. Truly, crazily beautiful. You probably don’t hear that enough, but I think it is true. I know you haven’t been on the front of any magazines, but you have great beauty. I know you haven’t been asked to walk down a catwalk, but there is something amazing about you. I don’t know if you feel it, but you are beautiful. Really. Stop letting society tell you how beauty is defined. You have it. Stacks of it. Don’t listen to magazines that say beauty is all about a stick thin figure wearing the latest fashion with all imperfections photoshopped out. You – that is what beauty is.
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewellery, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful.” 1 Peter 3:3-5
Clothe yourself with the beauty that comes from within. Christian girl – you don’t hear this enough, but inner beauty is attractive. I know so often all you hear from us guys is how we like hot celebrities, like Taylor Swift or Megan Fox, but really, honestly, a girl like you who loves the Lord, who is seeking Him and trying to live the life He has for you? That is so much more attractive.
Forget the latest fashion trends. Forget twerking. Forget spending a fortune on makeup. Forget “beach body diets” and “2 day fasts”. You are beautiful if you have the unfading inner beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Focus on that. Develop that. Work at growing closer to Him, and as you do so you will get even more beautiful.
Sure, some guys care more about outward appearances. But don’t worry about them. They aren’t worth the effort of putting in the time to give yourself a fancy hairstyle and putting on your finest clothes. If they can’t see the beauty that is always present within, don’t bother caring what they think of your current physical look. Don’t get caught up in a cycle of trying to please them by how you look. They aren’t worth it. You are destined for better things. God has a perfect plan for you. A guy who will give honour to you. A guy who will treat you with understanding. A guy who will love you, “just as Christ loved the Church” (Ephesians 5:25). That guy will see the inner beauty. That’s what he’ll care about. So wait for him. Don’t settle for someone you have to impress with a fancy hairstyle, expensive jewellery or beautiful clothes. For you are beautiful. Your inner beauty radiates out for those who have eyes to see. You are precious to God. He loves you. He made you, perfectly.
Maybe you don’t feel it. Maybe you don’t think it is true. But it is. In the words of that One Direction song, ‘you don’t you’re beautiful, that’s what makes you beautiful.’ The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, that’s what makes you beautiful!
{dedicated to one in particular, who is full of beauty from within}
Oh Pete, thank you for good words and encouragement. Although the passage that you mentioned is always on my mind but from time to time I feel sad that I don’t look good enough. To be honest I’m 30 and I’m not married yet. Maybe for European mind it’s not a problem but in Russia it is, and especially when you want to get married to a true Christian. I’ve been walking with God for 10 years and He never let me down but vice versa I let Him down often. I try to grow in relationships with the Lord persuading myself that marriage is not the final happy end (God gives much more) and at the same time the point ‘It is not good that the man should be alone’ comes to my mind. When you look around and find all your church friends have families, kids and you are left by yourself, it makes you sad indeed. I pray for that and try not to faint. Maybe I’m not the only one with this kind of a problem (I can’t call it a problem comparing to Jesus’ agony on a cross or Paul’s sufferings in the ministry.) All I know is when such sad thoughts come to your mind, girl, just think about heavens and what expects you there (even better to find passages in the Bible and read them). Through that God helps me much to see my final destination. May God bless you richly in your walk with HIm.