My post today will be based on 1 Peter 3:3-4. I’ve read this passage before but it wasn’t until I read it in preparation for my new video and did some research around it that I really got excited about it. So let’s get into it…
Do not let your adornment be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God (NKJV)
So in this portion of the chapter, Peter is talking to wives but I believe especially in this day and age, the idea can be related to everyone. Our beauty should not only be on the outside whilst there is deep-seated ugliness within. It takes an effort to be beautiful from within and groom a gentle and quiet spirit and sometimes we simply cannot be bothered with how long the process takes. What does this kind of grooming look like?
- Calling your thoughts about others, yourself, your environment into order as soon as they are not true, holy, pure, lovely, just and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8)
- Praying for renewal of mind and spirit (constantly) and the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22 – 23)
- Reading and meditating upon the word of God
There are so many other things a person can do to cultivate beauty from within but these are just a few suggestions from my own experience.
Beautifying on the outside is not completely wrong but it should not outweigh or even compete with the work that you are doing within for God who sees the heart. We must always remember that one day the outward will fade no matter how much money and effort you put into it. Wrinkles will form, hairlines will recede but what is within lasts forever. Whether this will be beautiful or not is on us. As women and people in general our propensity is to appear good, its natural. However this should not be our largest investment and/or what rely on most to get us through life. Things that come from within like joy, peace, love etc are not contingent on anything. Therefore if we work to groom such traits we will not rely on anybody but God for things like confidence because these traits and knowing God and His promises are reason enough to be confident (I hope this makes sense). However if we have no roots in Him, our confidence, joy etc will always be dependent on circumstance; how on fleek our outfit is, how sharp our shape up is. So if we aren’t complimented or commended for things pertaining to appearance (even things like success – money etc) we are unhappy. Don’t let the devil or this world rob you of a beautiful heart because it does not get as much recognition as what can be seen. Be pleased with commendation from God, through following His decrees, enjoying and living by His word and so on.
To me, making an effort with your appearance, to be successful etc is not wrong. Vanity, conceit, lack of discretion & modesty, discontent, not knowing that God made you fearfully and wonderfully and not being comfortable with yourself without all the added extras; these things are ‘wrong’ because they can all boil down to idolatry, greed, pride and all these other traits that God is not pleased with.
I pray that every low self-esteem, lack of confidence and self-love that has been embedded in us by what we have seen and heard should be removed and that God clothes us in His confidence and strength to know that He made us and He made us well, regardless of what we have or don’t have. Amen.