You’re Beautiful

For several months when I have gotten into the car, I would hear the same song every time. It was Beautiful by Mercy Me.  My first thought was that the radio station was sure wearing this song out.  I began to realize that there was no other song that I heard every time in the car.  This was the only one.  It could be in the morning, the afternoon, or the evening.  It was always the same, and I began to wonder if God was speaking to me.  Was there a message?  Was it something he wanted me to write about?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I probably am my own worst critic.  In my head swim thoughts and memories which set themselves up front and center in my mind.  They are lies and untruths I believe about myself.  I even project those negative thoughts about myself onto other people believing they are thinking those same negative things about me as I am.  They must be thinking what I am thinking, right?  They are lies.  Jesus is talking about Satan in John 8:44, and he says, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”  What a shame that I have allowed the father of lies to penetrate my thoughts and feelings when I should have believed the truth instead.  Here are some examples of some lies I think or feel, and the truth I should be believing.

Friends-The Lie
No has called you this week.  You know that means they probably don’t like you.  You know you are replaceable.  They are probably just inviting you to be nice.  Who would want to be friends with you?
Friends-The Truth 
I am lovable, and I try to be a good friend.  I have always had good friends who love and care for me.  I have friendship which will span into eternity.  God is my friend, and He will never leave me or forsake me.

Work-The Lie 
What if they don’t think I am doing a good job?  What if they want to fire me?  What if they don’t like my new ideas of how to organize things?  What if I am not living up to their expectations of me?
Work-The Truth
I am working hard and loving my new job.  They have been receptive to all of my ideas and are excited to see the office more organized.  If there is something I don’t know how to do, I ask a question.  If there were a problem with my work, I’m sure I would be asked to do it in a different way, and I would do it that way.  I have to know if God has blessed me with this job that I have all of the capability in the world to do it to the best of my ability and do it well.

Blog-The Lie
What if I write this blog and offend someone?  No one wrote a comment about this blog.  No one must have liked it.  I failed.  What am I doing?  Maybe I shouldn’t be writing this anymore.
Blog-The Truth
Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”  I am writing this blog for the Lord, because I feel it is a calling for me.  I pray about the blogs and God speaks to me about what to write.  I try to honor any friends or family that I might happen to mention in this blog.  I am doing it for His glory, and I hope that shows.

Body Image-The Lie
I need to lose some weight. I am fat.  I can’t fit into some of my old jeans.  I am not attractive anymore.
Body Image-The Truth
I still fit into a 6/8 pant.  In 17 years of marriage and after birthing 3 kids, I have only gained 12 pounds since the day I married my husband.  I don’t think that is too shabby.  My hubby still thinks I look great.  My kids tell me all the time how thin my waist is.  Thanks kids!  My sweet friend just told me that she could only hope to look as good as me when she gets my age.  Thanks Shannan!

If I spent as much time pondering on the truth of God for as long as I spend on pondering on the lies, how different would my life be?  How different would my perception of myself be?  What is God’s truth?  I am made in the image of God.  I was knitted together in my mother’s womb.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  I am loved and precious in the eyes of God.  He doesn’t care about what is on the outside or the proverbial extra 10 pounds.  He looks at the heart.  1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the Lord sees not as man sees:  man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Last week I was praying about today’s blog and what to write about.  He impressed upon me again about writing about lies, and the Beautiful song I had been hearing.  I was resistant to it.  Being vulnerable and telling everyone the lies I tell myself was going to be hard even though I know we all do it.  I delved anyway into researching You Tube for the right Beautiful video.  I ran out of time during my research and needed to head out.  As I turned off the computer, I prayed, “OK God, if you want me to write on this subject, let me hear Beautiful on the radio when I am out and about in the car.”  I grabbed my purse, got in the car, and was driving down our street.  The current song on the radio went off and the next song that came on was none other than Beautiful.  It had been maybe two minutes or less since my prayer.  Know today that God wants to speak to us.  He wants us to know that no matter what we think of ourselves, no matter what lies we believe about ourselves, He wants us to know the truth. We are beautiful in His eyes.