When You Don't Feel Beautiful

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GFG reader Courtney R. shares her thoughts on weight, makeup, and finding your worth in God's eyes.

Do you ever feel like you’re not good enough and too ugly to be worth anything at all? I did. And still do sometimes. I know that feeling. When you look in the mirror and just think to yourself, “Ugh. Why can’t I be skinny, pretty, tall, etc.?” And then comes the comparison. “So and so has a shape with curves. How comes I don’t? She has better hair than I do. Will I ever get a chest?” I’ve been there, played that same game. And it’s not a fun game to play either. It damages our self-esteem and ruins our confidence. Being a girl is hard! Let’s face it ladies, we’ve all had one of those days when we feel worthless, like God made a mistake when He created you.

Well, guess what? God don’t make junk!

Genesis 1:31 says: “And God saw everything that He had made and behold, it was very good….”

Psalm 139:14 says: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Whenever you start to feel “ugly” remind yourself that God thinks you are gorgeous. He sent Jesus to die for us because he thought you were to die for! Say a little prayer, asking God to remind you how beautiful you are. He wants you to be comfortable in your own skin. And girls, listen, you have GOT to stop playing the comparison game! He made us all different for a reason. Some are tall, others short, some have naturally curly hair, others not so much. Who cares? It’s what makes us, us. You were made to stand out from the crowd, to be your own person with your own characteristics. You were made to be you, not the girl down the street.

Let’s talk about weight. Touchy subject, yes. Does it make you who you are, no. Weight is just a number. Don’t let it control you! You wouldn’t believe the amount of eating disorders in America. Here are a few statistics:

* 95% of people with eating disorders are people between the ages of 12 and 25.

* 50% of girls between the ages 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight.

* 80% of 13 year olds have attempted to lose weight.

* Between 1 and 5 percent of teen girls meet criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis.

* 15% of young women in the U.S. show considerable disordered eating behavior and attitude.

Isn’t that awful? Those numbers do mean something. It means we are overestimating the value of our weight. It’s important to eat right and exercise, but we can’t let the numbers run our lives.

How about make-up? First and foremost, ladies, we need to grasp the fact that God did not give us a beautiful face to be colored all over and re-done through surgeries to make it “look better”. We are real people, with real feelings, and real smiles. Don’t overuse make-up and make your wonderful self something its not. Your not fake. You’re real. Show that to others around you. Let them know that you are comfortable being in your skin with your all na-tur-al beauty. (Hint, hint: Start a school-wide “All Na-tur-al” day on any day of the school week! Wear a t-shirt and sweats with your hair pulled back and no make-up).

So we’ve covered the comparison game, weight, and make-up, so what’s left? Well, that my darlings, is discovering who you are in Christ. What does Jesus say about his daughters?

Psalm 31:30 says, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

1 Timothy 2:9-10 says, “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”

Proverbs 31:20 says, “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of jewelry and fine clothes. Rather it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

These are just a few verses about what qualities God wants his daughters to have. Pray daily for strength and compassion and a loving spirit. Talk to God like he’s your best friend. It doesn’t have to be rehearsed or anything specific. Just talk to him and you’ll see a difference in your life and how you see yourself.

I hope that after reading this, you can at least kind of see that you are one heck of a gorgeous young woman! Be yourself and let no one change your unique personality that God has given you. Behold, you are you, you are smart, you are talented, you are of great value and purpose, and most of all... You are beautiful.