Broken: On the Inside

Are you letting your outward beauty cover for your inner character? 

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourself instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:3 NLT 

Our outward beauty is the norm to cover for our inner character, it is the dismissal to our inner struggles that eventually pro-longs us really getting to know who we truly are within. 

Where am I going with this? Let's tackle some things first. 

1.  The use of make-up. As women, we love make-up, it enhances our beauty, (for it is its job to do so) it makes us feel just as confident as we should be without it. But please understand that make-up was never designed to be a void-filler. It simply cannot, and will not take the place that only Jesus Christ was destined to do. I get it, you're ashamed to see the truth, admit the struggles, yes, you hate that your attitude isn't as pretty as your make-up, but you have to face that reality. You have to admit that you've been hiding from yourself and from God. If you ever dreaded putting on make-up base on the feelings inside of you, that's the Holy Spirit, encouraging you to no longer ignore that. Listen. 

If you use make-up to make up feel confident because naturally you don't, feel wanted, or to fulfill a specific intention that surely isn't God's best for you? I encourage you to: 

• Fast from make-up. Put it in another room, so that you won't be tempted to wear any. 
• Spend time in God's word, allowing him to reassure you where your true beauty comes from. 
• Take some time to learn how to embrace your natural looks, encouraging yourself in the mirror, saying things like "You're beautiful!" "You don't need make-up to make you feel beautiful!" 

2. Clothing. As women, we love to look a certain way, and most times we would wear specific clothing that would boost our confidence, and set the mood for that day. Don't get me wrong, it is not a problem looking fabulous when you want to, especially if you're a confident women who know who you are and whose you are. But here's the problem. If you've ever dressed a certain way for the attention of a boy? Or from friends who has peer pressured you? Then, there is something on the inside that God wants heal and help reassure you with too. In 1 Timothy 3:9-10, it states "And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do."  God's definition of his daughter's appearances is modesty. We cannot easily lose sight of God's well pleased appearance of us by trying to keep our closet tight and up-to-date for the intentions to please someone other than him. Sis, you do not have to uncover yourself for men who God didn't even want you to make it pass "hello" with. You do not have to feel peer pressure to buy expensive clothing to blend in. You are just fine honey, and I pray you're okay with it. If not:

•  Ask God to help heal your heart from depression of trying to over-dress to impress. 
• Ask God to help you start honoring him with your body, dressing in a way that is pleasing to him and not caring what others may think or feel. 
• Ask God to give you wisdom, helping you clean out your closet, getting rid of clothes that were a distracting and attracting men that God didn't send. (sidenote: Be encouraged to know that the man God has for you won't lust after your appearance, but will be attracted by the things you do as you're devoted to God, he will see fruit that helps him to seek forth marriage with you because of the God in you." (For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do")
• Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and because you're a Daughter of the King, I pray that you no longer seek for attention nor approval from anyone. 

So, back to my question: Are you letting your outward beauty cover for your inner character? 

 All materialistic things such as make-up, jewelry and even our clothes and shoes has become our main focus because we just don't want to face the reality of our "Broken: On the Inside." Is it because we've got so accustomed to the latest of what the world has to offer? I've learned that the more we are influenced by the world's expectations, the more we seek to be immune to the system, totally abandoning our inner character. Our inner character is far more important to God than our outward appearance. Yes, God gives us specific instructions on how to honor him with our appearance (as previously stated before) but God is looking at your heart. He works from the inside out, not the other way around. He sees that your heart is broken, and you're constantly dismissing your brokenness. He doesn't want to leave you in that position, but the more we lack in being transparent with him, the more we pro-long Jesus interceding for our healing. I promise you, everything on the outside will follow as is, because of what's on the inside. Your inner character is so important to him because it reflects your outward appearance. Beautiful appearances doesn't cure bad attitudes. What's on the inside of you will show, clear as day. 

God is in the business of working on his children always, especially if they are called according to his purpose. When he desires to show you who you truly are in Christ, he first exposes who you tried to be. And as he shows you that, be transparent enough to admit that those were your heart's intentions. Now God has something to work with, and is willing to show you your true inner character as it then, will reflect your outward appearance.  If you're in this position, be encouraged because that is the work of the Lord, doing some major surgery that is all for your good. 

So today, I pray for you. I pray that you ask God to give you the wisdom and the ability to discern who you've tried to be verse who God has called you to be, that you let God heal you in areas that you daily dismiss, that you are reminded that who you truly are comes from within, and that you no longer carry that brokenness that only Jesus can heal. Trust God for your inner and outward.