Sadly, every girl knows this feeling all too well – the feeling of not being worthy, of not being “pretty” enough, of not being worth pursuing. Sometimes it can be all-consuming. It can be all you’re able to think about, not being comfortable in your own skin. Girls, whenever you’re feeling like there’s no reason for you to love yourself for who you are, turn to God because these are the kinds of beautiful things He’ll say:

1. Psalm 139:13-14 - "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

I know this is the go-to verse when anyone is discussing self-love, but it’s so indescribably important. Ladies, when we feel like we’ve hit rock bottom in our self-confidence, God physically hurts for us. He created every single feature, every single part of you that you so desperately wish you could change. His heart is so heavy when we begin to hate the person He made us to be.

2. 1 Timothy 2:7 - "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."

Whenever you feel yourself slipping into self-doubt, remember that those thoughts are keeping you from doing God’s work. If we are too absorbed in what others think about us, or in how we view ourselves, God is automatically bumped down to second place. Without any self-assurance in who we are, how are we able to be a light for others? When we doubt ourselves, we are giving in to what the world wants us to be: timid and afraid to stand for what we believe in. When we are weak in our confidence, it only distracts us from what is truly important.

3. 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

All of us have weaknesses, but the beauty of God is that He is the one and only thing that can strengthen us in spite of them, and even because of them. So, instead of dwelling on what we wish we could change about ourselves, we have a reason to boast and rejoice in them. We are all imperfect, we are all weak, and we all doubt God, yet He loves us so unconditionally anyway.

Of course, you’re not going to read a Bible verse and magically become a confident person 100% of the time, 24 hours a day, that’s just not how life works. Finding your confidence in God is an incredibly hard thing to learn when the world is telling us girls that looks, boys, and popularity should be our top priorities. But, time and time again God tells us that we are never going to be happy if we find our confidence in these things. Finding your confidence is a lifelong journey, but God is the best place to start.