"All too often we as women get so caught up in being pretty. Let's be pretty kind, pretty funny, pretty smart, and pretty strong."
Beauty is not skin deep; but rather a light that radiates from within. It is the moments in which we exhibit true happiness and joy that our beauty shines from the inside out. We demonstrate our true beauty every day by the way we treat others, how we spend our time, the things we think about, our morals and values, the decisions we make on a daily basis, and how we glorify God through our achievements. God looks not at our physical attributes to determine beauty, but at our hearts.
Why do we doubt ourselves? Ultimately, doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. I have seen this true in my own life, as well as witnessed doubt take over in the lives of others. Doubt stifles our confidence and causes us to place limits on what we believe we can achieve. When we dive into God's word and memorize scripture, it becomes an even bigger part of us. We spend countless hours memorizing definitions, formulas, and concepts just to pass a final exam for one of our classes in school, so why not spend some time focusing on studying the word of God? Even if we don't realize it, the words spoken through these verses have the ability to shape our thoughts, our actions, and ultimately our overall outlook on our own future. They become a bigger part of us; and they shape the way we face challenges, adversity, and doubt within ourselves. The next time you find yourself doubting your true beauty, doubting your ability to achieve your dreams, questioning your past decisions, dwelling on your failures, or feeling anxious about your future: read these verses.
1. 1 Peter 3:3-4
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles or the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."
2. Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
3. Psalm 139:14
"I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
4. 2 Corinthians 4:16
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."
5. Song of Solomon 4:7
"You are altogether beautiful, there is no flaw in you."
6. 1 Samuel 16:7
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
7. Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time."
8. Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the food of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
9. Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
10. Proverbs 3:15
"She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."
11. Matthew 6:33
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
12. Jeremiah 29:11
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
13. 2 Corinthians 4:18
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
14. 1 John 3:18
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
15. Proverbs 29:25
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in The Lord is kept safe."
16. Philippians 4:13
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
Place your confidence in the hands of God and trust the will of His plan for your life. So many times we face disappointments that we may view as “set backs” when in reality, they are “set ups” for an even bigger plan for us to demonstrate our true beauty to the world.
Over and over again we are told by society that beauty is defined by our outward appearance: the clothes we wear, the stores we shop, the college that we attend, how often we work out, and even how many Instagram followers we have. Yet over and over again the Bible tells us that beauty comes from within. It is up to us to decide which definition we want to strive to embody.
Take some time to reflect on when you have felt the most beautiful. Often times it can be difficult to resist the temptation to receive our feeling of self-worth from worldly things—like Facebook likes, reassurance from others, and acceptance from our society. However, the problem with all of these things is that they are extremely temporary, and they fade with time. I truly believe that the more you give, the more you receive. Get out and volunteer in your community, give someone else a nice compliment, support your friends and family with positive words of encouragement, perform a random act of kindness—and reflect on your feeling of inner beauty. This is a feeling that will last far longer than superficial forms of reassurance we often receive from temporary sources. When we devote ourselves to helping others, we are glorifying God! He sees us as eternally beautiful—because a beautiful, confident heart truly never fades.
