Why was it so easy for me to change how I saw myself based on what others said about me? Why did I allow the opinions of others to change my view of myself? What was wrong with loving and accepting me for me? What is the most valuable opinion that I should be listening to?
I have always been a naturally petite person. But growing up as a little girl, I heard remarks like, “you are so skinny,” “so little,” “you weigh but a minute,” and on and on it went.
I didn’t understand why they said those things to me. There could have been various reasons, but I took their words –like seeds—and begin to plant or meditate on them until they were rooted in my heart. Ultimately, they became my reality.
In My Heart
The truth of the matter is, I allowed their views and opinions to affect me because I really did not know –in my heart—who I was. I did not understand where my self-worth came from, so I subjected myself to a lot of wrong thinking and behavior.
The words that I heard painted ugly pictures in my mind about me. I started justifying my beliefs, thinking that something was wrong with me. I allowed others’ words to shape and mold my view of myself, and I started to self-destruct.
Then I began to do everything I thought I could to gain weight –drinking shakes and eating a LOT …to no avail. I would wear big clothes like sweaters and long wide skirts to hide the fact that I was small. There were times that I wore medium sizes instead of smalls. Little did I know, wearing big clothes to hide my small frame actually made me look smaller.
If that wasn’t enough, when I looked in the mirror at myself long enough, I would find other things wrong with me. This went on for a number of years –even into my young and early adult years.
His Image and Likeness
It was crazy but praise God I finally began to love and embrace me for me – size and all. A new day had dawned in me when I got it in my mind and heart that God made every part of me with a purpose. The self-destructive behavior came to an end. I stopped putting myself down. I now wear clothes that fit me perfectly. I am no longer ashamed of who I am. And now I understand that my self-worth comes from knowing in my heart that God fearfully and wonderfully made me in His image and after His likeness. Hallelujah, I look like God!! 🙂
God loves me just the way I am, inside and out. I love the skin He put me in!
I realized it was an insult to God for me to hate any part of me. He did not make a mistake when He made me, and He did not make a mistake when He made you, beloved.
What Do You See?
I want to encourage anyone out there who feels as though they are not good enough and don’t measure up to others’ standards. You have been approved by God. It doesn’t matter how others see you.
What matters is what you believe about yourself!
Do you see you the way God sees you- this valuable opinion?
One thing I can say for sure is that it doesn’t matter how many times someone tells you that you are beautiful or handsome. If you don’t believe it in your heart, then what others tell you will have very little or no value.
I have been told many-a-time how beautiful I am, and I truly appreciate every word that has been spoken over me. I see all the time in the scriptures where God speaks life over us, but until I believed these things about myself. Until I began to plant new seeds in the garden of my heart in how I saw myself, those very nice compliments and powerful scriptures could not help me.
I had to surrender my opinions to the word of God and accept myself as God accepts me. I made a decision and chose to believe His word, regardless of what I saw in the mirror or how I felt about myself.
We all have those moments and that is okay, but the longer we stay there, the more harm we experience in our hearts and eventually in our lives.
YOU are NOT a mistake!
Every fiber of your being is purposeful and you have God’s fingerprints all over you. You are loved, and you were made with love. You’re beautiful! You are handsome and worthy!
Do you believe that?
A Unique Gift to the World
Don’t let the opinions (negative or positive) of others become your the most valuable opinion of yourself. God’s view and opinion –His glory on your life—is all that matters. His unchanging opinion is the most valuable opinion we could ever embrace.
We should still take care of ourselves. We don’t have to let ourselves go, but we need the right motivation. If we are motivated by the words of society, our families, ourselves, or any other negative influence, we will only gain pain and misery.
As we love and embrace ourselves for who we really are, we will see more and more how precious and special we are. That we are unique and a gift from God to the world. And that we don’t have to settle for less than that.
Is that arrogant? Absolutely not! That is embracing your true identity in Jesus.
If it is hard for you to believe and receive this, then ask God to help you see you for who you really are in Him, and He will! YOU are the object of His love and affection.
Let Him love you. God’s Opinion is the Most Valuable Opinion there is.
