It’s hard to see beauty in ourselves, isn’t it? If we’re contrasting and comparing ourselves to how the world defines beauty, especially of the physical kind, instead of seeing ourselves as we are reflected in the mirror of God’s word, then we will struggle to believe we are beautiful at all.
We can become overly focused on what’s wrong with us, easily discouraged, drown in our flaws and failings, our all too obvious imperfections, rather than rest in our loveliness in Christ and in the way His grace changes us from the inside out.
“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes, or hair arrangement. Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit that is so precious to God.” ~ 1 Peter 3:3-4 TLB
Broken into beauty
I had beauty once but I didn’t even
know it so I lived like one impoverished
sitting in dust, when I was really rich
I ached for difference because
I couldn’t match the face I met
in the mirror with my preference
Instead, I honed in on the flaws
and saw plenty enough to keep me
occupied. Several imperfections
cried out loud and I bowed down
to their name, holding it all inside
where my real self sits, and I
could barely stretch to fit the skin
I was in, never mind making room
for all those needful improvements
And now? These days my gaze rests and reflects
on a God-given inner vision, more than
having derision for a fading outer face
I can see life’s manifold brokenness and pain
but beyond it all what shouts out most to me
is how God is breaking us into beauty again
©joylenton
I sense God whispering His sweet encouragement to our insecure souls:
“Don’t lament over your brokenness, rejoice instead because it allows Me access to be your Restorer, your Healer and Saviour. Each particle, every piece, all those broken shards of you are being tenderly gathered, held lovingly and carefully pieced back together better than before.”
“Your broken places are grace entrances. Your weaknesses are sources for My strength to infiltrate. Your tears are like dew in My own eyes, as I cry with you and for you, longing above all things to dry your tears, offer My rest and peace, the consolation of My Love. A broken life becomes broken open more by My grace, made beautiful by My Love and radiant with the Light of My presence. I am seen most in those who give their all to Me.”
“A surrendered life and heart are hallmarks of being My Beloved. All you give to Me is returned to you abundantly, made new, pulsing with promise and potential. Hand your brokenness over to Me and marvel as I make a beautiful mosaic out of it all. Though you will always retain cracks and chipped edges in this lifetime, they also become spaces for My Light to shine more freely from.”
May these encouraging words bless you, my friend, as you learn to see yourself as beautiful in God’s eyes. 🙂
“To all who mourn in Israel he will give: beauty for ashes; joy instead of mourning; praise instead of heaviness. For God has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.” ~ Isaiah 61:3 TLB
Thank you Joy for your beautiful words of encouragement.
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Dear Lisa, thank you so much for stopping by and for letting me know this post has encouraged you. That’s good to hear! Blessings on your week, my friend. xo
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Dear Joy, what an encouragement to read this today! And I love your poem esp. the last stanza:
“I can see life’s manifold brokenness and pain
but beyond it all what shouts out most to me
is how God is breaking us into beauty again”
I love the thought of “breaking us into beauty again.” It really is easy to focus on what is wrong with us and forget the beauty that is there. He makes us beautiful and His beauty can shine through us when we focus on Him and His goodness and love and light. Thank you for encouraging me this morning! Blessings, love and hugs to you my dear sister/poet/friend! xoxo
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Dear Gayl, yes, it is all too easy to focus on what is wrong with us and end up with a negative mindset. I am continually having to ask God for help in this area and not to yield to discouragement. Praise God for reminding us there is beauty right here, right now, in the brokenness and in all we are in the process of becoming by His grace. The key thing is just as you say, to “focus on Him and His goodness and love and light.” Then we will focus less on feeling inadequate. I’m so glad you were encouraged here, dear friend! Blessings, love and hugs to you too! xoxo 💜
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Dear Joy,
Oh what a comfort your words are! This part especially touched me:
“several imperfections
cried out loud and I bowed down
to their name, holding it all inside
where my real self sits,”
Wow. What a staggering thought to realize that we do bow down to those imperfections. In the place where only HE and His view of us should be all that matters, we focus in on all of the broken and imperfect places. Oh may I let Him into those imperfect areas, more and more, to be able to see the “mosaic of beauty” that He wants to bring. Thank you again for touching the deep places of my heart, my friend! Blessings, love, and hugs to you! xoxo
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Dear Bettie, it’s sad but true that the things (or people) we pay most attention to can be like idols in our hearts, whether they’re intrinsically good or bad in themselves. And negativity is like a worm continually eating into our self-esteem. In our spirits we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of all, but in our souls we can forget to live like it is true. Once our eyes have been opened to the false way we have perceived things, then we are in a good place to cooperate with God in being set free and transformed in our thinking. I’ll be praying for you, my friend. It’s a trap I fully understand and fall into myself. May we both begin to bloom and blossom in the fullness of the beauty that already exists within us! Blessings, love and hugs to you too! xoxo 💜
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Thank you for this comforting reminder, Joy. I, too, bow so easily to my imperfections instead of resting in my loveliness in Christ. May He keep breaking us into beauty! Love and hugs to you!
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Oh, Trudy, you too? We’re so very human, aren’t we? And yet God deigns to rule and reign within us, bringing beauty from the ashes of our lives. Yes and Amen to the thought of God continually “breaking us into beauty” and helping us to see the loveliness we already have in Christ! Love and hugs to you, dear friend! xo 💜
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Thank you for these words of encouragement. So often I see the brokenness as ugliness. I need to remember God sees them as beauty. “Something beautiful, something good. All my confusions, he understood. All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife, and he made something beautiful of my life” (Gaithers). You have blessed me again this morning. God bless you xx
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You’re so welcome, Tanya. They’re words I need as well. Because the enemy is always trying to prevent us from seeing who we are in Christ. I love the lines you have shared from the Gaithers. Yes, He does and has! May God richly bless you with His love, joy and peace as you rest in Him. May you never lose sight of the fact you are a beloved, precious, beautiful daughter of the King of kings. Blessings, hugs and love to you, dear friend. xo 💜
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My heart really needed these words today. Thank you.
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Barbie, I think we will never tire of hearing messages like this, especially as women in a culture where youth and physical beauty are predominantly celebrated, yet few look beyond to the lasting beauty of a soul surrendered to God. It warms my heart to have blessed you, dear friend. Thank you for letting me know these words have encouraged you. Blessings and love. xo 💜
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How ironic that the first thing I noticed was your beautiful *new* picture on the side bar. Your sweet, Godly spirit shines through, friend; in your countenance as well as your words.
PS I’ve been unusually busy lately, so please forgive my absence here. And know you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
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Dear June, thank you for your lovely encouragement! It’s always a joy to see you here, my friend, and there’s no need to apologise when you can’t make it. I understand all too well how busyness of various kinds can tie us up and drain and deplete our already limited energy. I’m sorry too for having become a stranger on your site and not being able to keep up with even a fraction of the blogs I follow. My body is signalling a desperate need for a break and I am hoping to take one in a few weeks time, once I’ve caught up with my commitments. The wonderful thing is that we can still think about and pray for one another! There are no barriers to those things. I’m so thankful for your prayers and keep you in mine. May we both be able to rest, pace and recover some needful strength in the days and weeks ahead. Blessings on your weekend. Love and hugs! xo ❤
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In this world of instant contact we forget, or take for granted the gift and privilege of praying for one another. A praying friend is the very best kind of friend! I’m so blessed to call you friend. Praying for rest and renewal for you, too!
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Sadly, yes, we can forget or take it for granted, though praying for one another is a great privilege and a gift to cherish. A praying friend is a treasure in the here and now and an intercessor who reaches into the heavenly realms for future help. The feeling is mutual, June. I am so blessed to call YOU friend! Rest and renewal sound wonderful. Yes, please, to both of those! xo ❤
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