How to Overcome Body Shame With the Grace of Christ
I wish I were writing this blog post from a place of victory. But if I'm honest, I'm writing from a place of vulnerability. Like many women today, accepting my body image has been a major struggle of mine over the years. This struggle is beyond just body dysmorphia (a mental condition where you cannot stop focusing on one area of your body). Others may never notice your physical 'flaws,' but they continue to give you anxiety.
Growing up in the 90s was challenging for me because it was the 'super-model' era where skinny girls were both pretty and popular. All the while, the rest of us, including myself, drooled with envy wishing we could have what we thought of at the time, their perfect bodies. So how does one deal with the never-ending pressure to have the ideal body? How should we respond when pressured by today's celebrity-driven culture to look like the Kardashians or the girls on the cover of vogue magazines? Let's see what encouragement and wisdom we can glean from God's word.
1 Peter 3:3-4 - "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."
Peter's words are relevant to Christian women today because they help us understand what God deems important about their physical appearance and what he doesn't. His point in these two verses is simple and straightforward: the bodily adornment God desires is not external but internal. Like our culture today, Peter lived in a world where social status, "physical appearance," and wealth were highly prized. And so, he challenges us to change our perspective about what we think constitutes physical beauty.
As Christian women, our physical attractiveness shouldn't be determined by our looks, whether a new hairstyle, expensive jewelry, or wearing the latest clothing brands. Instead, our beauty is defined by who we are in relationship to God; we are his beloved daughters! In other words, what matters to our heavenly Father is not what we look like on the outside (the cosmetics we wear or our body type) but the godly character produced by a changed heart. The world's vision of beauty is transitory and will fade away, while God's vision of beauty is honorable and everlasting. With Peter's words in mind, here are three points to consider that will help you overcome your struggle with body shame and walk victoriously in the grace of Christ.
1. God No Longer Lives in Fancy Temples Made of Gold, but Lives Within Our Hearts!
First, we need to know that God cares about our physical bodies. I used to think God didn't care about my struggles with body image. However, I've realized how wrong this kind of thinking was. Why? Because God created us in his image. He no longer dwells in fancy temples made of gold but dwells in our hearts through his Holy Spirit (Acts 17:24; Rom. 5:5)! He chose to make our bodies the very place he lives. Wow!
We all know about the Israelites in the Old Testament and how they traveled far to Jerusalem's temple to worship God. While there, they weren't allowed to enter the temple where God dwelt. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year (2 Chronicles 3:8). However, since Jesus is now our high priest, we can meet God right where we are because his Spirit dwells in our hearts. Since we have been given new life in Christ, God's desire is that we steward our lives well and honor him with our bodies. One way we can do this is by eating healthy and exercising. Unfortunately, in today's culture, taking care of our physical bodies has become a vain pursuit. You don't have to look very far on social media to realize that many have succumbed to the idolization of physical perfection. Our bodies should be cared for to keep ourselves healthy, not for personal aggrandizement. If you recall from the above passage, Peter reminds us to be concerned more about our godly character than superficial displays of physical beauty.
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2. The Enemy's Power is Rendered Powerless by Trusting in the Power of God's Grace!
Second, our self-worth needs to be rooted not in our physical appearance or the cultural fashions of our day but solely in Christ. God loves you! He has purchased your freedom at the highest price through his son Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Realizing Christ's great love for us, the grace that covers our sin, and our infinite worth as God's daughters should free us from worldly ideas of beauty that cause us to struggle with our body image. Instead, as a result of our new life in Christ, we should strive to live in a manner worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1) by focusing on serving others and developing the character that God deems beautiful and precious (1 Pet. 3:4).
However, our struggle with sin is a daily reality. On top of that, the devil has orchestrated a worldly system designed to play into our weaknesses and distract us from fully living out our new life in Christ. For example, our enemy aims to cause us to either hate our bodies through body shaming or idolize our bodies through vain pursuits to achieve physical perfection. Be wary of both tendencies! Remember, Satan doesn't want us to be free from the world's grip. He doesn't want us to live out our new identity as God's beloved daughters. Instead, he would have you trade your new life for a life captivated by envy, shame, and ultimately a life where you feel unloved. The enemy says shame is your lot in life, but the Spirit joins with your spirit to affirm that you are God's child (Rom. 8:16). Our minds may sometimes feel overwhelmed by the enemy's lies. However, when we remember that our self-worth is found in nothing other than in Christ alone, the enemy's power is rendered powerless, for the power of God's grace will sustain us!
3. Place Your Trust in Christ as He Brings Healing to Your Life!
Finally, I would encourage those who struggle with body-shaming to place their complete trust in Christ as he brings healing to their life. Don't be discouraged! It takes time to heal, especially when accepting your physical flaws is your major struggle. It takes time to fully embrace your "true worth" in Christ when much of your life has been spent wrongly defining your worth by what the world deems beautiful and valuable.
As you begin the process of healing, I would encourage you to pray daily, asking the Holy Spirit to renew your minds in the area of shame and start seeing yourselves through the eyes of Christ. By applying what God's word says about your body and relying on the transformative power of his grace, your Christian walk will be marked by victory. God never judges us on our outward appearance. Instead, he delights in those whose hearts are fully committed to him and his purposes. So remember the truths we talked about in this blog post! Receive them in faith, store them in your hearts, and practice them in your lives. Christ's grace is with you!