Our Looks
Do you think it’s really possible for any of us to truly be free from the influence to look a certain way?
Completely free.
Free to the point where dieting or a few extra pounds is not even on our radar, make up is something we can take or leave, and what others will think of us never crosses our minds?
There is the aspect of taking care of our health and our bodies through good nutrition and exercise, and also, taking basic care of our appearance, but what I’m getting at is the influence or even pressure to attain physical attractiveness or beauty as culturally defined.
Body Image. It’s a big topic and it’s something we’re going to be grappling with on our afternoon programme tomorrow. We’re going to be talking about issues like dissatisfaction with our looks, cosmetic surgery and how many of us have ever considered getting something done, also, what life can get like when the quest to look a certain way becomes a focus. This kind of striving is something I know well, and it’s something I felt God wanting me to share about as part of a series I did on ‘Beauty’ last year. I talk about some of the lengths I went to to lose weight, the effect that this had on my body and well-being, and the trap that I found the whole thing to be. If you’d like to read my story, the link is here –
http://birgitwhelan.com/2007/08/19/beauty-part-x-my-story/
The biggest question for me is whether knowing God makes a difference? Whether He can free us from this striving, or heal us if this has been a source pain in our lives?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
This is a good issue to address, especially among young people who are still trying to find out what their lives will be and where their identity lies. I wish you all the best in your program.
Thanks so much @ngie. Yeah, we have a teenager who is contributing as well, so it will be good to get a range of views on the topic. God bless and have a great week
our looks!?! that is a loaded subject..but one that God really wants to get through to all of us…the mirror definitely has too much power of who we think we are…and God has a completely different standard…I have been teaching that for a while and our identity in Christ…it makes all the difference in just about everything..way to go Prin! (BTW-there is something for you on my blog)
I have observed that most christian women do not approach this issue any different than the world. If anything, there is almost extra pressure because we think beauty is part of godliness. I am trusting God can set us free.
Wow, Birgit. Thanks for sharing your story. I have never had a good self-image, being freckled and teased to no end, I always felt I was such an ugly duckling. And actually, my mom would read that story to “help” me….ummmm…no, no Mom it didn’t help!
So yes, this is definitely an area of struggle for me. Thankfully my husband loves my freckles and has helped me get past some of my feelings. But no, I really don’t think until we are outside of this flesh, some of us will be totally free from wanting something different. I know I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, but I don’t believe it’s in the prettiest package. Someday…hoping…
Just trying to keep it real.
Hi Darla,that’s a really good way to put it, the mirror having power over who we think we are. It can be such a strong pull, and an area that needs that constant renewing of our minds in Jesus. -Love you, by the way, about that little “something” on your blog, thank you SO much!!
***
Hi Tawny, I actually agree with you. The influence is very strong and something not easily escaped by any of us. I have experienced something different with God, but it is easy to fall back under this influence and for me, I’ve found it has a lot to do with abiding in Christ and soaking up His definition of who we are in Him. Thanks for your insights, God bless
***
Hi Michelle, oh my heart went out to you reading about how you felt like the ugly duckling, and also, with your mom trying to help by reading this story to you. Can I just say, that I think freckles are great by the way, mine all seem to come out in the summer all over my nose and cheeks
As you will have seen in my story, the struggle you mention here, has been a very real one for me too. I’ve found greater measures of freedom with Jesus, by as you say, it is still something ongoing and total freedom will come when we are outside of the flesh. Lots of love.
Hmm…this makes me think about what I do with “house envy”. I have to remind myself that my treasures are not on this earth and that Jesus is preparing a place for me that I will get to enjoy for eternity. Maybe a large part of getting free of this body stuff is to know in our hearts that these bodies are dying and we get new glorious ones anyway……
it’s easy to take things to an unhealthy extreme. in general, i don’t find anything wrong with a healthy desire to lose a few pounds or put on some makeup to look (mostly feel) prettier. but needing to have those things in place in order to feel of value or to know we are loved? that’s unhealthy.
Oh thank you Lord….:) Another reminder of what is soooo important, not only to remember about ourselves but for others as well! I struggle with this, especially since gravity is the law *sigh*
But I’m blessed with a wonderful husband who just won’t let me get into the mindframe of false beuty…thank you again Lord! Ok, I need to catch up…so on I go! LOL
Tawny, you’re raising some really good points. As I preparing for the interview, I came across a verse in Isaiah that says “All flesh is grass and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades” 40:6-7. What you say is very true, that our glorious eternal bodies are yet to be seen
… About your “house envy” point – click on the link in the post above ‘A Man’s Perspective’; one of the men who took part in the survey made a really interesting point about how, in his view, our motivation as women for looking a certain way has a lot to do with gaining approval from other women. Thanks for your comments Tawny, God bless 
***
Wow, great points alece and I really agree with you. There’s that verse about being “well balanced” (1 Peter 5:8 Amp) and I can see how that applies in the area of beauty and fashion and body image, but you’re right, when it becomes about acceptance and those deeper needs, then at least in the experience I had, focusing on those things is ultimately not helpful.
Sorry to be plugging my series on beauty, eek, but this whole point about balance came up in the post ‘So is make-up OK?’ so take a look if you’re interested, lots of love.
***
So good to hear your thoughts, Debs, it has been an area of struggle in my life too, and is definitely a prison, I found. Thank God that His Word reaches into every area of our experience and that He has answers for us. Thank Him too for blessing us with husbands who encourage and reinforce freedom in this whole area. Love this verse – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke a slavery” Galatians 5:1. Love ya.