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Problem areas:
1) Appearance—A lopsided, unhealthy value placed on one’s clothing, hairstyle, facial features, body parts. If you are overly concerned and preoccupied with “how you look”, you have a misplaced priority and possibly a misplaced affection. Are you…noticing how your clothes “feel” on you all the time? Lingering in the mirror examining your face? Comparing your body to someone else’s body? Pride in yourself or jealousy of others? Always thinking about what you’re going to wear? All of these things are telltale signs that you have a misplaced priority about your earth-suit that robs you of being beautiful where it counts—on the INSIDE! “It is not outward appearance that makes you beautiful, but the inner self.” Do you believe that—for REAL? If so, work hard to make yourself beautiful on the inside with good choices, a yielded heart and by rejecting the temptations to primp and gaze in the mirror and be overly concerned with clothing, makeup and hairstyles.
2) Clothing—If it is important to you that you have the latest trends and styles, you’ve got an idea that comes from worldly thinking. If anything, we want to steer away from the trends of the world! Not that we should stand out as being weird—we don’t want that either. But to mimic what “they” do with clothing, shoes, eyeglasses and other apparel is dangerous territory to tread on. Here, the important question is: why do you wear and buy what you do?? Because you “like it” may not be a good idea if it smacks of the world. Just because it is so plentiful on the racks doesn’t make it a good idea. Sometimes it requires very conscientious work and effort to find clothing for a young woman in the kingdom which covers and is appropriate. Not trendy yet not monastic. It is quite a balancing act sometimes,
3) Magazines, books, catalogs, movies, t.v.—What you allow to pass into your head through the media, and printed material is VERY important. It WILL eat you away on the inside to take in bad seed in these forms. Worldly novels, stories that emphasize “good looks”, romance, self-centered relationships, and other worldly values will only serve to make it a priority in your own life. If you look at teen magazines or tabloids, they are out-of-bounds for a disciple—utter trash. Not some legal thing to “not read magazines”—but just because there is NO value in them for anyone who wants to be more like Jesus. Many magazines emphasize and value everything you don’t want to become! Looks, makeup, weight and figure, dating, primping, social pursuits… all these things are the opposite of God’s desire for your life. It is the world’s way of “training” you. God wants your priorities to be HIS and so, the seeds to sow will best come from His Word in all its many forms, others’ godly influence, and turning away from worldly sources.
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Greetings:)
This is just a small portion that was shared with me from an article on inner beauty. I thought how interesting that even as women get older these kinds of issues can and do still come up. The first few signs of gray hair and panic sets in, "I am getting older" the addictive need to recapture or hold on to youth and beauty is a billion dollar industry. How often the world shoves this lie at us that beauty is what one sees on the outside. Young, thin, and beautiful is what matters, is what has value, is what is sought after and so the cycle begins at younger and younger ages for little girls to look and feel beautiful. Moms without even realizing it pass these notions on down to their daughters. Pretty clothes, pretty makeup, and stylish hair these are the things that make us beautiful...but that is a lie from the enemy. True beauty comes from our walk with the LORD. It comes from within our hearts and is shined forth from HIM. True beauty was there on the cross as HE suffered and died for our sins. The world couldn't see it but we can. True beauty is in the wife who has been faithful to her husband, loving, supporting, and carrying for her family even when there are no thank yous. She does what she does for JESUS and rejoices when the honor and praise goes to HIM! True beauty is in those who put others first, who seek to live unto the LORD and submit their lives to HIM.
As winter gives way to Spring and I am reminded of another year passing these things come to mind. A gentle reminder from the LORD to keep my focus on HIM to not be tempted to go backwards or stumble into old sinful patterns. Each day that passes, I am learning that I don't have to believe the lies from this world. I don't have to listen to the enemy when he whispers in my ear. There is so much more to the life that JESUS has for me then obsessing, worrying, and working at being the worlds version of beautiful. JESUS has shown what real and true beauty is...it comes from and can be found in HIM and shines so brilliantly, and brightly that one can't help but see it; and the world hates it!
Just thought I would share what I am seeing this morning with some few :)
God bless
maryjane