Devoted: A Girl’s Guide To Good Living With A Great GodSample

"True Beauty"

Read Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139

No one can walk outside after a heavy thunderstorm, watch the sun rise through the dramatic fog of early morning, or step into the vast blue ocean lapping against the sandy coast and think God doesn’t care about beauty. Clearly, God has an eye for design. But the beautiful hardly stops at nature—God made us in His image, and He is the epitome of beauty (Revelation 1:13–15). Beauty is meant to reflect God’s glory and splendor. He created us to behold, enjoy, and exhibit His beauty.

As women, we desire to be beautiful, and when anyone—even ourselves—tells us that we are otherwise, we struggle with feeling unhappy, inferior, and unacceptable. We can become so focused on outward appearance that we lose sight of God’s truth—especially when our clothes aren’t fitting quite right, we despise our unphotogenic smile, and we look nothing like the Photoshopped models we’re told we should resemble.

If only we would believe the truth—God’s definition of beautiful. First Peter 3:3–4 (NASB) says, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” And we must not forget Proverbs 31:30 (NLT), for it starts with, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last,” but concludes with, “but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” 

Outward beauty is nice, but it isn’t everything! It’s not as valuable as the condition of our hearts. It will eventually fade, but real beauty found on the inside will not. A girl who is devoted to serving Jesus desires to make her heart a beautiful dwelling place for her King. Underneath the exterior of her appearance lies this priceless deposit of beauty within. It’s who we are, not just what we look like, that makes us beautiful. 

Beauty—inside, outside, and upside down—is a gift from God and a reflection of His glory. Outward beauty, then, should be a reflection of the beautiful work God is doing inside our hearts. What is more beautiful than the Lord patiently refining imperfect people like us into brilliant diamonds as He purifies us and shapes us to be more like Jesus every single day? He makes us beautiful.