I Look Horrible In...

There’s that one area of the store you constantly avoid.  That item of clothing that you absolutely LOATHE buying. Maybe it’s swim suits, maybe it’s pants, for me- it’s dresses.

I hate buying dresses with everything in me. I have a figure that isn’t suited to most dresses- I’m radically different sizes on top and on bottom, plus I’m wicked short so almost no dress fits me the right way.

Every time that one of my sweet friends asks me to be a bridesmaid in their wedding I have a moment of sheer terror- “What if they pick an ugly bridesmaid dress?” Now let me just put your thoughts to rest, so far I’ve only been in weddings with the kindest and most gracious brides- allowing each of us to pick dresses that suit our style and body type. I realize what a serious blessing that is!

But what a crazy selfish mind I have to let that be my first thought! Instead of being honored and humbled that my friend considers me special enough to stand next to her on such an important day my focus immediately turns to my bad body image!

“I look horrible in _____________”

We’ve all said it. We’ve all thought it. And maybe it’s true. Maybe you just should avoid bright colors, or you should choose boot cut jeans over skinnies, or stick with brown boots over black. But what if the root of that is deeper? What if it isn’t just a matter of style or knowing what suits your figure best?

What if the issue is about our focus? When those words “I look horrible in ______” come out of our mouth, our focus is ultimately about ourselves. How we look, how we feel and what other people think about us.

I don’t want to be one of those girls who bashes society and blames commercialism for how I view myself, but I think it’s true. We live in a society where how we look matters, where impressing others is the norm. We are conditioned to think we need ________ to make us happy, pretty, sexy, fulfilled. And the root of it for me always come down to one thing- my eyes are fixed on the temporary. The things that will pass away. My constant battle in the mall and the mirror is not looking at myself, but rather on Christ who gave me life.

Our negative self-talk must be replaced with positive “God-talk” (I know that may be the cheesiest sentence ever written but stick with me for a minute…) When we replace ourselves with God, He shines through us. Instead of projecting our insecurities and fears, people see in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. They will see Jesus through us.

The next time you stare at a mirror and think “I look horrible”, take control of your thoughts! Replace that thought with “God is good” or “How merciful is our Savior” or some other praise to God. And then go out confident! Shining as the woman Christ made you to be!

About Angi

Angi loves Jesus, coffee, baseball and baking cakes. She is a missionary to college students and can't think of anything she'd rather do to serve God. Angi first met the Lord while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa but really understood His love and grace as a freshman in college. Her heart is to invest in college students in the same way that many others invested in her. You can find her blogging over at Stuff Angi Does where she tells stories about Jesus, college students, and life. You can also find her on facebook, twitter, pintrest and instagram.

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