Thursday, February 17, 2011

A day of grace

This morning I got up at the unreasonable hour of 5:15 am. Unreasonable for two reasons (wait...I think that defeats the purpose of being unreasonable...oh well) 1. is that I am a night owl and I usually don't get up until 8 or 9 (gotta love the life of a college student) 2. is that when you wake up that early you have breakfast early then you want to have lunch at about 9:30. But this morning, before the birds even woke up, I got to hear two amazing Godly women talk about self image and true beauty when it comes to living in this world. Funnily enough Satan decided to hound me for the very healthy breakfast I was eating. His goal? To destroy me so I would be more focused on what I ate than on the important things that were going to be said.

Here are some of the truths that we learned today:
1. The factors involved in self esteem are: upbringing (good or bad), circumstances (again good or bad), your own perception of yourself, and the media.
2. The temptation is to believe these ideas about yourself.
3. TRUTH: No man, no pain, and no circumstance defines who you truly are...not even the mirror in your bathroom.
4. When we focus on ourselves and what we would change or how we don't measure up we are putting ourselves before God and making ourselves an idol.
5. We don't need anymore self help books. They pretty much all fail because they are relying on earthly power. What we need is Jesus Christ. We need to listen to him about what he says is beautiful and we can find that in the bible.
6. You become what you behold. If you are focused on what the media says about beauty or how you should be then that is what you will focus on and idolize.

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.

This is so true. After we pull our eyes off of ourselves we need to focus on the things Jesus says is true.

Eph 2:10 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

I know the world bombards us with how we should look. One day it is ok to be curvy, the next it's better to be skinny. God created all body types and He created each of us. We need to remember these truths and rest in them. The world changes the standard of beauty daily. God always calls us beautiful because He is the ultimate Artist and Creator.

Now is the moment for me to choose countless times a day. Will I listen to the voice that tells me I already failed because I had a piece of chocolate or I didn't work out today? Or will I listen to the One who created me to enjoy food in moderation (as my counselor would say "He gave us taste buds didn't He?") and to run and walk and be outside and feel a peace about my life?

Love,

Katelyn

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