Psalm 139:13-18 “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me.”

So much is hurled at us about our outward appearance; our size, eye and hair color, skin tone, you name it—society has decided what is acceptable, and it is terribly flawed and destructive.

Think for a moment about something that is unique to you. Is it your laugh, smile, eye, or hair color? Do you have a unique sense of style or a quirky sense of humor? This unique part of you is a gift from God that was carefully thought out. It sets you apart as special. Imagine the conversations that took place in Heaven about you; the smile on the Creator’s face as He looked at His finished and perfected workmanship, you, and deemed you a beautiful masterpiece declaring you are created in His image. Will you look at your uniqueness and love it? Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are all God’s masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

Just as the Creator carefully planned each of your physical traits, He gifted you with inner beauty and the characteristics of Jesus—kindness, inclusivity, compassion, mercy, humility, and forgiveness. These traits have the power to draw people to you because they see Jesus shining through the vessel of your physical body. We have a God-sized space in our souls that longs to be known, loved, and accepted. Only God can fill that void. The more we look like Jesus on the inside, the more beautiful we become on the outside.

Think about the traits of inner beauty that you have been gifted with. Are you patient and laid back, or are you a confident, type-A go-getter? Perhaps you are kind and merciful. A dreamer or a realist? Maybe you are humble and gentle. Do you have compassion for those less fortunate? All these qualities are gifts given to you by a loving God who knows your strengths and weaknesses.

If you struggle to see yourself as a beautiful creation, a one-of-a-kind work of art, ask God to be your mirror. Ask Him to reflect back to you the beauty and loveliness He sees when He looks at you. He sees all the potential He placed in you. There is only one you, and you are enough.

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you; His power gives you victory. The Lord will take delight in you, and in His love, He will give you new life. He will sing and be joyful over you.”

Photo credit: Nora Brody