*hovering over bible verses will automatically bring up the verse*

As I mentioned in a previous post : Self Worth, one cannot have confidence in themselves if they are not capable of recognizing their worth. Once you begin to understand the value that exists within you, your will mentality of how you perceive yourself should as well.

Beauty is not equivalent to our external value but it has everything to do with what is within us. Physical beauty can only last for so long, but the beauty from our character and personality will always be apparent. Physical beauty can be easily taken away by a tragic accident or can change after a certain period of time but the beauty of our souls are eternal.

We can spend hours behind a mirror, hours in shopping malls making sure our appearance is as good as it can be. But what value does any of that hold if we cannot radiate the true beauty that lies within us?

Something I struggled with in the past and see many people struggle with, especially young women is negatively comparing ourselves to others. Comments like ” Why can’t I be that beautiful” or ” I’m not as pretty as her” or even comparing certain features to those of other women. Of course there are certain things we all wish we could change about ourselves, as the saying goes ” We always want what we can’t have” and it is 100% true. Some women actually struggle with those wishes from within. Another truth is if we can’t find inner confidence now, even if with external changes we still wouldn’t be able to find inner confidence. Yes of course, a person’s ego may bloat and you may feel good, because you look good but because physical beauty and inner beauty are not equivalent, the possibilities of struggling with being happy with who you are and confiding in that person can still be an issue. Just as the best piece of clothing or most expensive pair of shoes won’t change how we truly feel about ourselves when we aren’t wearing them. Another truth is, we only see as far as the eye can tell with the people we compare ourselves to. We don’t know what their lives are like or the inner battles they face with themselves, something that all humans are subject to but able to overcome.

One thing a a very good friend told me, though it was in the middle of a joke, I will never forget . . . “Beauty is in the [mind] of the beholder”. I was mesmerized and in completely awe because it is exactly what the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” means.  The meaning of eye in the saying goes further than looking but speaks of perception and you’re perception is based on your mind : how you think and what you think. In Matthew 6:22 it states “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light”. Our eyes are the windows to our soul, what we see and how we see or what we think will dictate how we think. Therefore our perception will dictate our thoughts and actions. As in Luke 6:45 tells us that our actions are constituted by what is in our hearts, which refers to our minds (where we store our emotions and feelings). So what does all of that mean? If from our eyes we are not capable of thinking positively about ourselves (inner confidence) and perceive the value we hold within us we will not radiate the full light we hold which then leads to us not acting or speaking positively about ourselves. So if we are aware of this or if someone is around us long enough, based on our actions, the way we speak of ourselves what we think and see in ourselves will be evident.  If we can’t see good, we won’t speak good.

So love you. Love yourself. Radiate the light, the beauty that lies within. Before you put on your best clothes and best shoes, be the best you. Don’t feel good because you look good. Look good because you feel good, feel better, feel you’re very best. Try and be a better you daily. Be who you are and love who you are, the YOU beneath the negative comments, comparison, scars or pain. Love you because He first loved us 1 John 4:19 without any changes or alterations but as exactly as we are.

Before having confidence one needs to recognize their worth. Without recognizing you’re value there is no foundation for confidence. Recognizing your worth isn’t something that comes overnight but it is a daily process that take times and open mind. It is easy, especially in this day in age to compare yourself to others, it is easy to look down on yourself, it is easy to do everything for the likes. But it is much easier living knowing who you are and exactly what you stand for which is a process.

Realize who you are. You were created in the likeness and image of a perfect being ( Genesis 1:27 ). This perfect being voluntarily offered himself so that you may have life and life in abundance (Romans 5:8 ). His love for you is something that can’t be measured by the human heart. His never ending perfect love, looks beyond flaws and failures, past mistakes and losses, past pain and scars. God’s love is so pure and innocent that he loves us more in a single moment than any other lover could in a whole lifetime. Nothing created or planned by God is by accident, there is purpose that lies within you that is greater than you, one that is greater than you can imagine ( Jeremiah 29:11).

Our worth or value isn’t based on how others see us or even how we see ourselves but by the one who created us. We are far more precious, delicate and loved than we know. Everything we are is based on what was placed within us. Realizing who we are will teach us how to respect ourselves to those standards. The way we think, the choices we make, the way we look at ourselves and so on.

The purpose placed in you holds value, you hold value, you mean something to Him and those around you.

If you have a hard time understanding your worth or value I invite you to take a moment and reflect. Think about the love God has for you, think about how much you mean to him, think about the purpose he has for you, even if you don’t know what is exactly.