Do you struggle to love the body you have? Do you look in the mirror and love what you see or maybe not so much? This post is all about loving your body. It’s about loving the uniqueness and gift that God gave you, your body!
I write this post as an encouragement to all, for we all need a little encouragement and affirmation in life every once in a while. Hopefully, this helps someone who may not value the incredible worth that you are and that you have.
We are all different, we come in different shapes and sizes, born so uniquely beautiful and one of a kind. Somewhere along the way, we start to get in our heads about what we think about ourselves and how we appear to others, and we start to do all sorts of things to change who we are. My heart breaks when I hear someone does not love the way they look or the person in the mirror.
That is why I beseech you to change your thinking. To transform the way you look at yourself to the way God looks at you, as His beloved son or daughter. Believe me, God doesn’t make mistakes, and the way you look is perfect in His eyes.
Yes, there are things we can do to best take care of the bodies that we have been given. Though for now, let’s start in the place of adoration as I take you to my youth, and show you what it is like to fall in love with the body that God has given you.
This post is all about Your Body Is Beautiful! Loving Your Body.
Growing Up As A Kid
As children, we do not generally worry or overthink about some of the things that adults struggle with. It is incredible just how magical life can be to someone growing up in a safe and loving home. For me, I don’t remember caring what others thought about the way I looked until probably late elementary or middle school. Perhaps biology and environment play a role in it. Anyways, I simply loved life and was thankful for the way I looked.
The first time I remember getting picked on for having big ears was at soccer practice. “You look like an elf!” that sort of thing. Another insecurity that came was getting teased for having a big nose. Outside of these things, I lost some toes in a TV-falling accident and was smaller than most guys until high school. I guess we all have some areas that look different than others.
To sum it up, some of our beliefs and habits can come from experiences, positive or negative from our youth. Regarding our bodies, we probably all have stories that we or others tell ourselves that have shaped how we appear and what we believe about ourselves. Looking back, we can surely say that some of these beliefs were silly, and the actions we took to impress others, fit in, or look different were quite unnecessary. But they were very real at the time, and they affected us in that moment. Which brings us to today.
How do you see yourself now? Do you love what you’re made of or do you have some growth to work on?
How You See Yourself Now
The present is an important time. It is where we have the active and beautiful choice to live a life of victory, choose to be our best, and believe the best about ourselves. It is the place where we can make an honest and vulnerable analysis of the thoughts we think about and the actions we take that back up these life-giving or life-taking thoughts.
I personally am in a place in my life where I am blessed with many different things. I have a beautiful wife who always affirms me and sees the best in me, an amazing daughter who brings me smiles and deep-seated joy, and a wonderful life of faith, pursuing my dreams and my God on a daily basis. I bring this up to make known that I have a great support system and purpose that help me to realize my blessings. I still have my struggles and areas where I am weaker than others, but I can honestly say that I love my body.
How did I break free from some of the insecurities of my youth, and perhaps even life before Meeting My Wife? For me, it was probably in reprogramming my thinking and belief in what true beauty is. God showed/shows me where true beauty comes from, which is in everything that He touches. We are uniquely gifted and blessed to have a body and to be so beautiful, so one of a kind. I want us to have that confidence that there is no mistake in who we are and how we look. We are treasures of His grace.
I look in the mirror and thank God for who I am, how I look, and would not trade it for the world. I would not change a single thing about the way I look, including my one of a kind nose, ears, and missing toes. I love my eyes, ears, nose, toes, hair, hands, face, and entire body. I pray that you can find the same delight and comfort in who God created you to be. I am not saying that we take for granted the bodies that we have and let ourselves go, but rather that we admire and delight in who we are, and this drives us to best take care of ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
It’s not easy coming to this place, and I urge you to invest in yourself; read uplifting books, listen to nourishing podcasts, have good friends, pray big prayers, and affirm yourself of your true beauty, you are incredible.
One last thought, our bodies are temporary. A blessing that God has given us. One day we will leave them behind, as our souls ascend to our beloved Creator. How beautiful is that?
So how can we move forward stronger and more secure? How can we adore who we are and be our best selves?
Move Forward Stronger
The future is one of the most beautiful things in the world, for it can bring hope and vision to our current situation and selves, creating an even brighter self for today and tomorrow.
Knowing this, we must choose to believe the very best thoughts about ourselves and be the best version of ourselves.
For we have a choice to make. To let the false beliefs about our image and body hold us back, or to move forward stronger with a firm foundation that we are children of the Most High God. God makes no mistakes, we are his beautiful creation.
In Knowing These Things We:
We accept where we are now, and are content and thankful for who God made us to be.
We make the decision to value and cherish how we look.
We eat healthy foods and appropriate amounts.
We exercise, in whatever form that we love, in order to take care of the gift that we have been given.
We surround ourselves with people who lift us up and encourage us to be our best and live our best.
We identify as beautiful, strong, and courageous beings.
We love our bodies and thank God that he made us so wonderfully perfect.
You are worth it. Fight for yourself and your body! You are secure in the Lord. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Because you and your body are one of a kind.
Lozza Love,
Michael Wittorp