Beautiful Confidence

Why won’t my hair curl? I just want my hair to have that beach wave look! And what about my face? Yikes! Is that a zit? Ugh. I wish I had flawless skin like that girl on T.V…. and her body is perfect! Maybe I should start working out? I could go to the gym! But then again people will be at the gym watching me… maybe I could just cut out all bread and desserts from my diet! And then I’ll be able to wear all those cute clothes that the models wear!

It’s crazy to think people actually think like this, right? Well, believe it or not, almost every girl on the planet has this conversation with herself daily. (And if you’re a girl reading this and says otherwise, you’re lying.) I’ll even admit it! I’ve thought these things many, many times. Hey, I’m only human.

The world puts so much pressure on girls to be beautiful. Models with perfect figures and celebrities with their perfect hair and skin make it hard for some of us to look in the mirror and call ourselves “pretty”. We compare ourselves with these women that the world has deemed beautiful and end up developing these terrible feelings deep inside of us. These feelings are called insecurities. The definition of insecurity is simply this: uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence. It’s a type of fear. For a woman there is nothing more frightening than not being pretty. We want to feel beautiful.

I know, I know. This all sounds very shallow about us. But it’s all very true. Me, being a girl, I can speak from personal experience. I can even tell you of friends telling me about their insecurities about beauty. This is not a made up thing. I see it every day from all types of people. But what I really hate about it is seeing all these girls, who are younger than me, go through it.

This is where I started questioning myself: Am I being a good example for these girls and women around me? Am I living the life God has called me to live to show His beauty and love? When these girls look at me, do they see a confident woman of God?

Sadly, the answer wasn’t what I wanted to think it was. Like I said earlier, I’m only human, I have insecurities. But this is something that God has been stirring inside my heart lately. Though I’m not perfect (and will never ever be), I fully believe that God is slowly giving me the confidence I lack. He’s showing me every day about the simplicity of His beauty. He’s showing me how to seek the good in others, He’s teaching me about forgiveness, about patience, understanding, how to love others above myself, and how to trust Him in every second of my day. And slowly but surely I can feel myself growing closer and closer to Him every day!

I don’t want girls to see me acting this way and think that it’s okay for them to think this way too. I want them to know who they are in God’s eyes and know who God is. I want them to know He’s beautiful, awesome, divine, splendid, and everlasting! I want to be an example of Christ to these girls.

There’s this thing called “No Makeup November” that Rave Ministries does and I absolutely love it! Their theme verse is Song of Solomon 4:7: You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. They’re on a mission to show girls that beauty does not come from the things we wear or the makeup we put on our face. But it’s from the beauty of the Creator. It’s that light in our heart that is shining bright for the world to see. It’s the joy and love of Christ on our faces. We’re beautiful because He is beautiful.

So here’s the thing, how can we bring that beauty hidden inside our hearts to the outside? By walking the walk and talking the talk. Be life, be joyful, be love. Be kind, be gentle, be who Christ has called you to be. There could never ever be a more beautiful you than you. You’re imperfectly perfect. How? Because this is who God has created you to be. So what could possibly be wrong with you? Absolutely nothing!

So here is the challenge we have been called to as women of Christ: Be beautiful in every situation. Be an example of a confident beauty for all the little princesses looking up to you. Show little boys what kind of girl they should look for when they get ready to marry someone. Someone is always watching you whether you know it or not. So show the world that confidence in God is the most radiant kind of beauty there is!

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:30

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. – Psalm 139:14

But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. – 1 Peter 3:4

She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. – Proverbs 3:15-18