I looked in the mirror today.
I look in the mirror everyday when I get ready in the morning. And I steal glances in the mirror everyday that hangs in the hall outside my office at work. It was nothing new then to walk by the mirror in the hall outside my office this morning and steal a glance. I say steal because God forbid someone see me look at myself in the mirror, how vein of me.
But today, when I stole a glance, I stopped. I didn’t recognize who I saw. It was as if I saw someone else. It wasn’t me.
The woman I saw in that mirror did not reflect the heart behind the face, the makeup, the clothes, the hair, the body. The woman in the mirror looked good. Her hair straight and long, her makeup enhanced but didn’t cover her features. Her clothes were stylish, but not too stylish—classic is probably a better term.
But go inside. And her heart looks different. Drastically different. It’s ugly. It’s dark. It’s insecure. It’s jealous. It’s paralyzed by fear. It’s content in apathy. It’s judgmental. It’s far from what God wants for it.
Beauty is a pure, clean heart. Beauty is one that is surrendered to God and knows how much He loves her. Beauty is saved by grace through faith and forever changed by it. I’ve lost beauty. I have a decision to make, fall on my knees and find Him, find the beauty or surrender to the loss. I want beauty.
John 15:7-8– 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
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March 21, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Sarah Markley
This is beautiful Lindsey. thank you for posting it. i love what you say about surrender. very true. =)
March 22, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Julie Todd
Your words show the struggle of your heart… you know wherein beauty lies… you long for it. But your heart is not ugly… It is beautiful… for it is where the Spirit of the Living God dwells. Christ came for you, He gave His new heart to you for your old, heart of flesh. He sees you in all your beauty, clothed in the cloak of His righteousness, not in the sins that taunt you. Your sins do not define you… Jesus in you does. On your worst day you are still the righteousness of Christ. You are beautiful, dear one… really you are! For what you do, does not define who you are to Him.
I found you from Sarah’s blog.
March 22, 2010 at 3:02 pm
lcrystal
julie – thank you so much for your comment. He is doing a new work in me, bringing me to a depper level. since i wrote this post friends have helped me see the truth and call-out the lies. it’s a process, but your words are so encouraging! reading ‘dear one’ made me feel His presence. God bless you julie :-)
March 22, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Manda
I love how you wrote “beauty is one that is surrendered to God and knows how much He loves her. Beauty is saved by grace through faith and forever changed by it.”
God had put on my own heart this past year that I am His Redemptive Beauty… fall on those knees and join me.
March 23, 2010 at 2:26 pm
OneGirl
I’m here visiting from Sarah’s blog…if you’re interested, here’s my post: http://onegirl-itjusttakesone.blogspot.com/2010/03/what-is-beauty.html
Thanks for your honesty. It’s more about the heart than the outside, like you said.
March 23, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Jennifer
You are brave to share this truth and make the decision to want beauty, the beauty that God wants us to have! Inspiring words!
Here from Sarah’s link list! :)
~Jennifer
March 23, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Colleen
Loved this post. Very honest. And I can totally relate.