Counteracting the Lies We’ve Believed

Part 1: Counteracting the Lies We’ve Believed

What lies have you believed about yourself throughout the years? Over the next few weeks, we’re going to counteract some of those lies with truths found in Scripture. And when you inject enough truth into the lies, all they can do is explode! So today we start with our first truth, which may go against what’s been said to you in the past.

#1 You are beautiful. This past weekend I attended my college reunion at Texas Lutheran in Seguin. It’s been a number of decades since I was in college, and when you return it’s easy to revert back into some of the insecurities you felt in those years. I had great friends and dated some, but never thought I was particularly beautiful.

In my sophomore year, I cut off all my hair into a very short do. I entered college with long hair, almost down to my waist, but thought a shorter style would be easier to groom while playing basketball. It was, but it wasn’t what drew boyfriends. The guy I was dating at the time asked, “Why did you cut off your hair?” It wasn’t long after that he broke it off. So that caused some insecurity and a feeling that I was not pretty.

My hair now is longer than it was my last couple of years in college, so prior to our reunion, I went to a blow dry bar and had the stylist do what I struggle with, making my hair straight and smooth. When my hour in her chair was over, the frizz and wave were gone! While I felt better about the way I looked, the truth is, we don’t need perfect hair to be beautiful.

In 1 Samuel 16, when God was searching for a new king to replace King Saul in Israel, he sent the prophet Samuel to Jesse’s home because one of his sons would be the anointed king. Jesse paraded all but one of his boys in front of Samuel. While the candidates were physically attractive, they were not the one. Samuel asked Jesse, “Do you have any other sons?” Only the youngest, David, was left. David was called in from the sheep pen and ended up being chosen. Was he handsome? Scripture says he was fine looking, and healthy, but in the end, it wasn’t David’s physical appearance that was beautiful to God. It was David’s heart. God explained to Samuel, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” In other words, it’s not what other people have told you about your appearance. It’s not what the fashion magazines teach through their air-brushed images. It’s what’s inside that counts.

I don’t know what’s been said to you over the years, but the truth about how you look is found in the Word of God. He is the one we are trying to please, and he cares about our heart. In Galatians 1:10, Paul said, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” I believe beauty from within overflows into your countenance, making you beautiful.

Each of us are also God’s great work of art. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. According to Genesis 1:27, we are created in God’s image. So if we are ugly, what does that make God? I don’t want to be the one to call Him “ugly” by ripping my appearance!

Today, I want you to believe that you are a beautiful creation of God. If you have to, tape Ephesians 2:10 on your mirror, or simply say the statement, “I am beautiful” every day until you believe it. What is more important, what others say about you, or how God sees you? It’s your decision, beautiful.