Sunday morning I decided to weight myself.  See, I knew I had gained some weight over the last several weeks.  But, when I stepped on those scales and finally got up the courage to look at what I didn't really want to see, I was crushed!  That's all it too for me to fall on the bed weeping. Seriously. It wasn't a pretty sight at all! I'm glad God and my husband were the only one's to see my pathetic self!  (Thank the Lord I hadn't put my mascara on! LOL!)  Anyway, my husband came over and lovingly encouraged me to get ready for church, but I wailed that I couldn't because all of my clothes were too tight! No joke.  I really wailed. 

Later on I realized that there are so many other women in this world with far greater problems than mine.  I have to much to be thankful for, but my struggle with my weight has been a burden to me for so many years.  I knew that crying over this wasn't going to help me out.  God cares for me and He understands my struggles. So, I knew I had to take this to Him in prayer.

I just laid it on the line.  No use in beating around the bush when He knows exactly how I'm feeling anyway!  I was feeling fat, ugly, and unattractive.  So I told God so.  On the other hand, I was feeling pretty vain.  I didn't hold that back either.  I am so tired of this struggle.  I eat because I'm stressed out.  I stress out because I eat and am overweight.  It's like a vicious cycle.

Then I really started to question my motives for wanting to be thinner.  I didn't think I liked the answer I.  It wasn't what I wanted to hear from my little inside voice. 

Okay, so here I am in my tiny voice admitting that, YES! I want to look good in my clothes.  I want people to notice me.  I want to have a nice figure.  I think being pretty is about being skinny.  I think being valued and looked upon favorably is about lookin' good outwardly!  Shhhhh . . . don't tell anybody!  I don't want them to know my secrets!

All my reasons for wanting to loose weight didn't (and still don't) seem very godly to me.  'Cause, guess what??? He reminded me that He has told us in His word how we can be beautiful.

It's not how we look, it's not our outer appearance that makes us worthy and valuable to Him! Praise the Lord, He looks on my heart! 

1 Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; ^{4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.}

If I'm not the prettiest woman, if I'm not the slimmest woman, if I don't have the best hair, who cares! As long as I possess that one quality that truly makes me valuable to God, that's all that matters. 1 Peter 3:3 says that my outward adorning should not be the most important thing! Literally, adorning means that thing I tend to, the thing I take care of, that thing I groom . . . it should NOT be my outward appearance. What I need to concentrate on most is my heart, that part of me that nobody but God sees.

God says that my hidden man should be adorned a meek and quiet spirit. Unlike my looks, this adorning is incorruptible.  This is important because, Lord knows, that I do NOT look like I did when I was first married. Wheather that's changed for the better or not is questionnable! LOL . . . but what God has done in my heart, well, I'm priceless to Him now! That part of me has definitely improved!

Our husbands are bombarded on every side by ungodly images everyday, either in at work, on the TV, or even at church.  And, honestly, we're confronted with it as well.  We do ourselves a grave injustice when, as women of God, we compare ourselves to a way of life that I'm certain doesn't please God.  It certainly doesn't honor Him, I'm sure!

Well, I've been chatty enough tonight.  Tomorrow I want to share a little more with you about these two verses and what some of the words mean.

'Night!

Julia

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Posted by ByHisGraceInColorado

I was just taking a lunch break :) and thought I would read a few blogs. Well, your Monday blogs are so neat, and they just kind of go along with my blog entry this morning. I hope you will stop in and read it!

Thanks for sharing all your wonderful thoughts and scriptures, I know that they will bless many who stop by and read them.
Nancy

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