2 Lies Girls Believe About Themselves...

"The almost impossible thing,
is to hand over your whole self-
all your wishes and precautions-to Christ...
Until you have given up yourself to Him,
you will not have a real self."
~C.S. Lewis~

This chapter of lies opens with a profound statement:
"Our view of ourselves either enables us
to do what God has created us to do
or limits us from becoming all He means for us to be.
It is critical that you dismantle any lies
you may believe about yourself."

Lie 1: Beautiful girls are worth more
Some signs that you believe this lie include:
Self-loathing
Saying nasty things about other girls
Doing anything just to get affirmation from a guy
Dressing in ways to draw attention to yourself
Lying in bed and crying about it
Flirting

Wow. I mean, this list reminds me of the way that most of my girlfriends (and I) can be at times. We have to stop this cycle. Let's start by remembering that physical beauty is temporary... "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Prov. 31:30). There is only one kind of beauty that lasts... "Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Pet. 3:3-4).

Inner beauty matter much more to God, but this inner beauty will reflect on the outside as well. If you have a pure and modest heart, then that will come through in the way you dress, act, and speak to others. Have a joy-filled heart, and allow God to fill you with JOY!!!

Finally, what we believe about beauty is determined by where we look. Do we look to 'fashion magazines' that airbrush their models to perfection? While it is impossible to achieve this perfect standard set by the world, it is possible to have inner beauty and confidence through Christ if our focus is on Him.

Lie 2: I have to perform to be loved and accepted
Your value is not determined by what you do, but how God views you. In Ephesians 1:4, it says God "...chose us in Him before the creation of the world..." Psalms 139:14 tells us that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made", 1 John 4:9 tells us that God showed us His love by sending His Son, and Romans 8:38-39 says nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord". So in a nutshell, we are chosen by Him to be wonderfully made and loved...and nothing can ever change how God feels about us.

We do not earn God's love through works...if it were only by works, then we would boast (Eph. 2:9). God gives us His grace. He has already taken action by sending His Son for us. There is no further action needed on our part. If we have faith, there will be works...for faith without works is dead. However, more or less of these works will not change God's love for us.

Your works are to glorify God, not yourself. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). We do not need to feel a pressure to perform for God... God does want us to do good things, but only as an offering of our love back to Him.