Have you ever told a little white lie? I am sure we all have at some point. We think that it will spare someone’s feelings or get us out of an uncomfortable situation. Something important about lies is that sometimes they can start off small and grow out of control so quickly. We can also be told lies that we believe to be true, and it distorts how we view others and ourselves. One of these lies that I have personally struggled with has to do with outer beauty. I have at times struggled to see myself as beautiful, because the world’s standards of beautiful are so distorted. One big thing that this generation has is social media, and social media completely misconstrues how we should view beauty. This is a struggle that comes and goes for me. Sometimes I can look at my body and wish it looked different, or the adult acne that I sometimes get and wish I had flawless skin. These bumps and blemishes can make me feel less than. As many times as I have had family and friends (and of course my husband) tell me I look beautiful at one time or another, that can be hard to see if you are fed the lies that you are not, and you believe it, and a lot of the times it is easier to believe lies than the truth.
I don’t always see the beauty in myself that God sees. These are lies that the enemy uses to make me feel unworthy, and to try to cause me to turn to alternative methods to feeling beautiful. One thing I know many people can struggle with regarding this is eating disorders. I have been tempted by this myself in the past. I know in my head that it is not the healthy way to make a change, but in the past it has been a temptation, and I know that for so many it is a real and true struggle that can cause so much emotional and physical damage. I know in my head that a good diet and exercise is the true way to making a change in your body, but in the past I have become obsessed with that as well, pushing myself beyond my limits because I was so desperate for change.
Lies are such a powerful tool in the hands of the enemy. God has had to work in my heart and mind to heal me of these lies that I fed myself for so many years. I have had to focus on just living a healthy lifestyle rather than a number on a scale. Treating my body with respect and care is the proper way to love myself. The most important part of this, though, is that we need to focus on the truths that God has told us. We need to believe that we are made in his image (“So God created human beings in his own image…” Genesis 1:27). If we are all made in the image of a perfect and holy God, why would we believe the lie that we are anything other than wonderfully made? (“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:14). God wants us to understand and believe the truth that he says about who we are. Yes, we are sinners and we could never satisfy God on our own, but that does not take away from how much God loves us and wants us to be a part of his family. He loves us more than we could understand, and does not want us to believe that we are anything less than a son or daughter of the Most High. He looks at every one of his creations as a work of art; his own personal masterpiece. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10). With God’s truth in your life, the lies lose their control and power over you. The truth of God will bring joy and peace into your life.
Are there any lies weighing you down? Rest in the truth of what God says about who you are. Do you know someone who would benefit from God’s truth? Be encouraged to share your experiences with others who may need to hear these lifesaving truths.
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