Scars to Beautiful

Beauty....its an illusion that is created by the standards of the world...

Unattainable for many

Impossible to achieve

We are constantly told we aren't good enough just by the ads we read, the TV shows we watch, the music we listen to.

We are led to believe that if we don't look a certain way we aren't good enough.

Says who??  Really - who gets to decide that for us?  

I have struggled most of my life with weight issues.  Too fat, at one point because I became obsessed with weight loss I was too thin.  I lived my life around what I ate, how much I ate, how much I ran, what SIZE my clothes were, that I look back now and realize I wasn't LIVING.  I was fighting.  I was fighting to achieve what the WORLD says was good enough.

You are good enough if you have medals showing you can run a long distance. 

You are good enough if you get a lot of likes of your picture on social media.

You are good enough if you wear the smaller size clothes.

Why don't I believe I am good enough just as I am right now?  Because I have listened to the lies the Devil has whispered in my ear.

You and I need to remember what God says in His word in Psalm 139:14 "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."  God knew what I would struggle with, what I would look like, the paths set before me before I even came to be.  And HE LOVES ME!

God loves me DEEPLY
God values me HIGHLY
God provides for me FULLY
God planned me CAREFULLY

Why then do I say the most hurtful things to myself?  You arms are too fat, your legs are too big, you need to lose weight, you need to change...I have done that recently.  I go to the gym every day and workout with a friend who is showing significant changes, yet I don't' see them in myself.  I walk beside her and hear people tell her how great she looks and I secretly wonder "What about me?"  But, what I need to remember is, it doesn't matter what ANYONE else thinks about me - what God thinks about me is all that matters.  He says I am beautiful, fearfully and wonderfully made in HIS image.

What I need and you need to do is start working on our Christ-esteem.  We say we need better Self-esteem, but I need to remember daily what Christ says about me.  Its OK to eat healthy and exercise in order to take care of the body He has given us, but we need to accept we are who He made us to be and embrace our uniqueness.  He loves me uniquely.  He loves you uniquely.  

Our scars make us beautiful.  Many of those scars are inside of us - words said to hurt us, actions that made us feel less than.  No matter what anyone has said about you or done to you, you are beautiful.  Don't be defined by your scars.  Rest in the arms of the one who made you - and remember YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL just the way you are!

Below is a piece of the lyrics from the song Scars to Beautiful by Alessia Cara...if you get a chance, pull it up and listen...