Body image has been an area of my life that I have had to be on guard for lies influenced by the media, my own unrealistic expectations, and the enemy of my soul. I have had to be intentional about replacing a lie saturated narrative about what makes me beautiful and replace it with Gods truth.
Different seasons in my life have brought different changes in my body. In some seasons I have carried more weight in my life, both physically and spiritually, and there have been times I’ve caught myself spinning on the hamster wheel of never enough. At times, these negative evaluations have influenced my perception of my ability to be seen as worthy and loved.
In this season, I am embracing new perspectives and fresh narratives. I am learning to embrace a concept of beauty that’s not tied to a number on a scale or a size on my waistband. I am learning to recognize a beauty that transcends my season. I am learning to embrace that I am beautiful in my womanhood with each phase of life I pass through.
While I value health and fitness, I am learning to pay attention to what I put into my mind, even more than what I put into my mouth. Today as I reflected on the lies that sometimes pop up, the words toxic sludge came to mind. With those words, came a visual. I saw a pipe clogged up with sewage and quite literally, crap. Then, I saw what would happen as a powerful hose was attached to the pipe. Garbage and waste would get kicked out through one end of the pipe until eventually clear water would flow through.
Many of us need a power wash from the inside. In John 4:14, Jesus describes himself as living water. He says, when we drink the water He gives us we become flooded and gush with endless life! Ephesians 3:18-19 describes love beyond measure that God lavishes His sons and daughters with. It says, He pours this love into us until we are not only filled but overflowing with His love.
I don’t know what your situation is or what your brand of “toxic sludge” is that needs a good power wash. But I desire to be so full of God’s love and goodness that I have no room to take the enemy’s, ahem, crap, in my life. I want to be so full of Gods light and truth that any lie is forcibly evicted from my mind and my heart.
God, I pray for myself and my friend reading. Today, we embrace your heavenly perspective and choose to exalt your voice, your truth, and your promises louder than any lie in our lives. We invite your spirit to flood us with love, light and truth, until we are so full that we begin to overflow in your faithfulness and goodness. Power wash us today from the inside out, enabling us to embrace a new paradigm and perspective over our lives, circumstances, and down to the very essence of who we believe we are.
Amen
