NAKED...

Naked….Naked…NAKED!

Yep I said it.

Naked…nude…buff…nakie…bare…birthday suit...

Many names for it, one very common reaction…ugh.

I want to tell you to STOP!

You are beautiful, radiant, gorgeous, alluring, dazzling, stunning…You have been handcrafted by the Almighty God and you are exquisite.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14a

Why do we do this to ourselves? We stand in front of the mirror and start poking, prodding, lifting, and wishing. What would it look like if I lifted a little bit here, tucked a little bit there, totally cut that off, increased that a bit, smoothed that, straightened this, etc.

Do you remember that you are one-of-a-kind and that is incredible! Absolutely incredible. Do you remember that God knew you before you were born? He, Perfect Creator, put you together the way He wanted.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew^[a] you” Jeremiah 1:5

“For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

Do you remember that God doesn’t make mistakes?

“your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14b

Are you prepared to look at God and say, “you didn’t do a good enough job.”

That is what we do, that is what I do every time I look in that mirror and hate what I see. I don’t like my body. There are parts I tolerate, some I kinda think are ok, and most I loathe. 

Okay, look in the mirror….go do it…I did it…do it….DO IT!

Tell God you don’t like your body, tell Him you are tired of it, tell Him you hate it, tell Him all of it. He can take it.

Now, stop….okay stop…STOP (this is not meant to be continued bashing of yourself)

Take a deep breath and inhale His Glorious Magnificent Presence, exhale the pain. Close your eyes and feel 

His strong embrace hold you. Rest in Him as He takes His beautiful creation into His arms and whispers “you are gorgeous.”

Let Him speak to you. Don’t try to talk over Him. You have given Him your grief. Let Him fill you with His love.

Now, leave those feelings with Him, at the cross. Dump out the bags of self-hate, poor self-esteem, yucky feelings…leave it there.

DON’T LOOK BACK.

He has taken it.

Now, look in the mirror again…

Look at yourself and say “I am beautiful. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I have been created by a perfect God and He does not make mistakes.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Listen to me, I may know you or I may not know you. There is one thing I know for sure, beyond a shadow 

of a doubt, I know you are beautiful.

Now, I want to clarify a bit. This post is about believing that God has created you and you are beautiful. It has nothing to do with choosing to exercise or not exercise. It has nothing to do with diets or lifestyle changes. It’s about your heart and if you will choose to believe God when He says you are beautiful and you have all His love forever and ever, just the way you are.