Fearfully & Wonderfully

In full transparency, somedays, maybe even most days, when I look in the mirror I don’t see pretty or beautiful although those words have been attached to me often. However, I have looked at pictures and have seen and do see the pretty and the beautiful others see. Nonetheless, I went through decades of my life not truly seeing beautiful. I do know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What’s beautiful to one may not be beautiful to another however there are some people that all people look at and think, “God was showing off when they made him or her”. Sadly, too often, we can miss our beauty and instead see mainly our flaws. Isn’t it good news that God does not see us the way we see ourselves; that He does not look at the outward appearance but instead sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Then there are those people who know they are beautiful and fully walk in it, arrogant, entitled, confident and alluring. These are the people whose outward appearance causes you to look twice. However, “charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord, shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). Men, you are not left out of this sentiment. Now, imagine a person with outward beauty, a little above average, or even plain with flare who does not recognize that they are beautiful. This person may suffer with low self-esteem and struggle with representing Christ well because they see themselves through human eyes instead of God’s eyes. Consequently, the person who sees their outward beauty may miss the importance of inner beauty.

I spent decades being these two people: not seeing the outward beauty and sometimes missing the inner beauty and then seeing the outward beauty and neglecting the importance of inner beauty. The internal rollercoaster this caused wreak havoc on my emotional and spiritual well-being, but the entire time the Lord was trying to show me my worth in His eyes. When we depend on our eyes and/or the world’s eyes to tell us what we are, God’s message can be missed. When I read that I was “fearfully and wonderfully made and that marvelous are His works” I began to think about all the time wasted worrying about not being the gold standard in the world’s eye and even the time wasted thinking I was the “bee’s knees.” I needed balance. I began to read and recite Psalms 139:14 daily and mediate on what it meant. I was mind-blown when I realized that I wasted so many years toiling over my worth through the world’s lens instead of God’s lens. Glory be to God that His Word not only guides but uplifts and educates. The Lord has given us everything we need to thrive, to succeed, and to be spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy.

PRAYER:  Thank You, Father for Your Word that gives us everything we need. Thank You for Your patience with us, and Your Grace and Mercy. Thank You for letting us know that beauty is more than skin deep. Thank You for showing us that You understand the importance of beauty and that everything You have created has beauty, worth, and purpose. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
By Sis. Pat Towns