So, hmm. This topic has been on my heart awhile but I never knew what exactly to say until I went to church on a nice Sunday and God used Jeremy Morris to speak right to my heart.
Self image is extremely crucial for most people, whether they know that or not. People care about what they look like. They care about if their hair looks a certain way, if their clothes are what's in right now, and if they are up on the latest trends. A lot of you reading this might say to yourself "no way, I don't do that." But, do you have a feather in your hair? do you wear makeup? do you straighten or curl your hair? have you dyed your hair before?
Just even little things like that to change your appearance show that you care about what you look like.
I know, for me, when I change the way I look, it's because of the nagging insecurities inside of me that scream "YOUREUGLY" . I know when I put on makeup, I regret it the moment I leave home and people start to stare at me.
For me, being insecure about how I look has always been an issue. I've always compared myself to my older brothers. They have eyelashes that go on for miles. They have the perfect shade of brown for their eyes. They have naturally dark hair and they were blessed with perfect smiles and teeth that never needed braces.
I might compare myself to every other girl I see, and only see beauty in them.
Galations 6:4 says, "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that... Don't compare yourself with others."
That's the first thing I was doing wrong!
but, after so much comparing and over analyzing and doubt I just always come up with the same conclusions;
- i'm not good enough
- i'm disgusting
- i'm worthless
- i'm nothing
- i'm not pretty
- why them and not me
things like that, you know?
But on Sunday at church Jeremy said something that just really stuck to me. Everyone is created in God's image, in His design. He created us all the way we are for a specific purpose that only He knows. While I am so busy insulting myself I have never taken the time to realize that I'm really insulting God. I'm insulting him in so many ways.
I am a sheer image of God and the only thing I can say about myself is all of those harsh, over dramatic, stupid, insults? Every time I say something negative about myself I'm telling God that His image of me isn't good enough, that I don't like it and He didn't do a good enough job making me. WOAH. That sounds like I am doubting the God who can move mountains and make the sun stand still.
Romans 12:6 says, "We have different gifts based on the grace that was given to us. So if your gift is prophecy, use your gift in proportion to your faith"
Everyone is given a different grace, and everyone has a different calling in life so comparing yourself to someone else will get you nowhere in life except feeling like crap about yourself.
And as for being insecure,
1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."
God doesn't give us the feeling of fear, or the ability to doubt, or the way we get insecure. God is perfect love, so if we are truly living for Him there is no reason to have these fears and these doubts and insecurties about yourself since he casts them out. We are so beautiful to God and sometimes that is really hard for me to grasp; I think it's really hard for a lot of us to grasp and fully understand how much He loves us and adores us and thinks we are beautiful. But, Ephesians 2:10 says
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." He took the time to make us, and to carve us the way He wants. He knows our hearts, our thoughts, our mind, and the way we look on the outisde. We will never be ugly to Him. We will forever be His number one prize, the apple of His eye. So wipe away those insecurities, those thoughts that make you doubt yourself. Get rid of those fears and just remember that God has made you the way you are for a reason. That He is the King of kings, and you are his prince or princess. That there is no doubt in the world that you are beyond beautiful, it's okay to love yourself. It's okay to show the world God's beautiful creation. Don't hide yourself in your insecurties! Flaunt what God has made of you!!
<3 <3
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
"You wrestle with the sinners restless heart"
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2
No one likes to be judged, no one likes to be made fun of, and no one likes to be talked about negatively, yet most of our society today always has something negative to say about someone else, always judging, always pointing the finger at someone.
We are brought up in a world that does not live by the word of God. We see magazines telling us about a celebrity's scandal, exagerating the truth, and even saying negative feedback about them just to sell the magazines. We see television shows... the ones like "the soup" and comedy shows who focus mainly on judging people and making fun of them, whether it's for their race, their sexuality, or for something they have done in the past. What gives people the right to do that?
What makes it okay?
Not only does this happen on tv shows, and in magazines, but it happens in every day life.
Is it because some get people paid, because people laugh at their jokes, because it makes them feel accepted, what is it that makes them think that it is okay to be judgemental?
If you think about it, the act of judging is a form of pride because ultimatly it is saying to God that you think you are better then others and, like it says in James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."
Because God opposes the proud so much, why would you want to judge anyone? why would you want to make Him angry or upset over something that you can control?
Hebrews 12:14-15 says, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will ever see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."
Judging people is not living in peace and staying holy to the Lord.
Bitterness is like envy and jealousy, and James 3:14-16 says,
"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from Heaven but is earthly, unspirtual, demonic. For where you have envy and self ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
Why would you want to have earthly feelings such as bitterness or envy or jealousy?
Why wouldn't you want to live like 1Corinthians 13:4-7 where "Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
You cannot love like Jesus does and walk in the light if you are constantly judging others, being envious of them, being prideful!
No one likes to be judged, no one likes to be made fun of, and no one likes to be talked about negatively, yet most of our society today always has something negative to say about someone else, always judging, always pointing the finger at someone.
We are brought up in a world that does not live by the word of God. We see magazines telling us about a celebrity's scandal, exagerating the truth, and even saying negative feedback about them just to sell the magazines. We see television shows... the ones like "the soup" and comedy shows who focus mainly on judging people and making fun of them, whether it's for their race, their sexuality, or for something they have done in the past. What gives people the right to do that?
What makes it okay?
Not only does this happen on tv shows, and in magazines, but it happens in every day life.
Is it because some get people paid, because people laugh at their jokes, because it makes them feel accepted, what is it that makes them think that it is okay to be judgemental?
If you think about it, the act of judging is a form of pride because ultimatly it is saying to God that you think you are better then others and, like it says in James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."
Because God opposes the proud so much, why would you want to judge anyone? why would you want to make Him angry or upset over something that you can control?
Hebrews 12:14-15 says, "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will ever see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."
Judging people is not living in peace and staying holy to the Lord.
Bitterness is like envy and jealousy, and James 3:14-16 says,
"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from Heaven but is earthly, unspirtual, demonic. For where you have envy and self ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."
Why would you want to have earthly feelings such as bitterness or envy or jealousy?
Why wouldn't you want to live like 1Corinthians 13:4-7 where "Love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
You cannot love like Jesus does and walk in the light if you are constantly judging others, being envious of them, being prideful!
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