Body Image Issues? Read this!

                                              Pic Credit: Rclbeauty101
                    

I was just 14 years old. That's when my issues worsened. Throughout my life, I was an anxious introvert and it was difficult to make friends. But at 14 years of age was when I started having body image issues. 

I would look in the mirror, shift and slowly twist my body from side to side. There would be a slightly disgusted expression on my face as I saw my reflection... This was something that would happen quite often. 

I can't wear this top.. I have a paunch. I can't wear this skirt... my butt looks too big... My hair is ugly and dry. The list went on... 

Some of my friends would tease me and call me fat. I know they didn't mean to hurt me, but the comments fed my growing insecurities. I'm not saying that I never felt beautiful and constantly hated my reflection. But wasn't fully comfortable in my own body. 

Let's fast forward a bit. I am in high school now.. 17 years old. New school and new classmates. I do believe that it was God's will that I ended up here as this particular high school wasn't my first choice but certain circumstances brought me there. And this is where I met two of my closest friends. 

You must be thinking that they gave me advice and then I got rid of my low self-esteem. That's not what happened. The thing is that one of my friends had even worse body image issues. In fact, it was so bad that she even struggled with depression. When I saw the twisted negative way she saw herself, I realized... "Wow, all this is so stupid." 

Magazines, TV, and sometimes even your own friends and family put ideas in your head on what you should look like. Your waist and thighs should be thin but your other parts should be round, but maybe not too round... Some years back skinny girls and those who were "size zero" were praised. Then 'skinny' was out of fashion and 'curvy' girls were considered attractive. I noticed that the world's standards kept changing and if you don't fit the description, then you aren't attractive.

 I woke up. I saw how stupid this all was. 

                                               Pic Credit: Meme Generator 

That was when I slowly started seeing myself in a different light... How my eyes turned a lighter shade of brown in sunlight, and other things I didn't really appreciate before. And those "flaws" which aren't really flaws didn't seem like a big deal anymore. I am beautiful. And so are you. (Ps: My friend is fine now by the grace of God. ) Wait... I'm not done yet! 

Later on, I was introduced to what God said in the Bible about me...

Do you know that when you insult yourself you are insulting the handiwork of God? You insult God when you insult yourself! Out of all the galaxies, etc, you are the most beautiful to Him!! 

If the One who created all the beauty in this world created you and calls you beautiful, who cares what other human beings think?

You are God’s “WORKMANSHIP, created IN CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10. The Greek word for “WORKMANSHIP” is POIEMA which means POEM and POETRY.

Those who write poetry know that it's an amazing way to express themselves.  The words written are an expression of the artist. A lot of thought goes into it. It's a work of art. You are God’s creative masterpiece!

When you look at yourself this way, you begin to understand your incredible value in Jesus Christ.

Memorize, ponder, and speak these verses OUT LOUD daily: 

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well." ~ Psalms 139:14 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." ~ Ephesians 2:10 

"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honour God with your body." ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.~ Genesis 1:27 

 

You can make it more personal when you're speaking out these verses. For example, you can say "I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them." 

I recommend speaking these verses at least 50 times a day. This way your mind is forced to focus on them and will get renewed. Don't only keep it in your mind, SPEAK it out.