YOU ARE NOT A JUNK

Recently, I came across a teenager's Facebook status that reads " If you have it, flaunt it. If you don't have it pad it up". I didn't quite get it. After a while, I chose to look at her pictures out of curiosity. She had some pictures of herself before and after she's 'pad it up'. I started a chat to know what could have led her into this. This innocent life had believed a lie some four years back that she is too shapeless to be a lady. she is 18 and rather than go under the knife, she opted for padded underwears. She has had it all corrupted that she is nil at good self image without big burst and big bum. 
Physical attractiveness, sexual potency and symbolic status / reputation are all she is worried about. Self image is the idol that she worships. Would anyone imagine what this could lead her into in the next ten years ?
Insecurity starts with little lies that we have believed and accepted. Working on our self image is what we consider as the only antidote to insecurity.Some of us have had our senses of self-worth so utterly devastated, through no fault of our own. We think that the only possible way to shore up the mores of our deeply wounded sense of worth is to compensate for the overwhelming feelings of powerlessness and worthlessness with which we are swamped, there by creating an image for others to worship.
However, this image is not really who we are; it is something which we set up because we feel so utterly debased, unworthy of love, vile, repulsive, a haunt for every kind of filth, or whatever, that we must hide behind something grandiose, gorgeous and breathtaking, even though it is ultimately counterfeit.
Trying to buy back our security, we do not need to engage in toxic behaviour that leads to false life. Love that is pure accepts us the way we are and will love who we truly are. Thank goodness that we did not need to impress God to earn HIS love. His love is pure and never considers what we think as flaws. His love never makes us feel empty or worthless. His love His perfect just as He says we are in His Son Jesus. 
Let us spare ourselves the troubles of trying to attain to an artificial perfect and flawless image that still never fill the void of our insecurity. We can give our fears and worries about our looks to God. Jesus cares about everything and can help us to handle everything.
A friend of mine has always complained that her nose is too big for her face. Nothing you say ever seems to change her view of herself. She hates to take pictures except from her side view. She is married, happily married to a good man with smaller nose than hers. We joked about her past worries recently and she said her husband really loved her nose as he too would love his kids to have a balanced size of nose kind of. God works in mysterious ways. We must love who we are and accept how He's made us and be secure in His ultimate purpose for and in everything that pertain to us.God does not make junks. 
YOU ARE PERFECT IN HIS EYES.

WHEN TO REACT AND WHEN TO RESPOND

 

 

 

My recent conversation with a sister is actually the reason for this short note. You may want to ask me what is the difference between 'reacting' and 'responding'? The short answer is both are actions towards a cause. The only difference is in the 'time' it takes to happen. 

When we 'react', it is instant, spontaneous, on the spot and on impulse. When we 'respond', it is the right and necessary attitude to a cause but with a process, takes a bit of time.

While waiting to be married, as we celebrate each year and get older and may even stay longer at home with families, we face very annoying and highly offensive situations. Some are intended and deliberate, some are unintended but misconstrued, while some are imaginary or misinterpreted. Whichever way, we just get angry, feel upset and often times become very touchy and irritable.

To be honest my sisters, most of the things that gets us angry are not in themselves the real cause of our anger. Our anger is rooted deep within as a result of this obvious delay. Unfortunately it is the people around us or our immediate buddies that suffer from our incessant snapping and outbursts.

I am not ignoring the fact that some do provoke us deliberately by their words and actions but many may have acted from pure innocence and genuine concern for us. 

When my older and younger got married, I became sick and tired of sympathetic prayers and pitiful concerns that I practically avoided some people and some places. Even if they were sincerely concerned for me, in my mind, there was no trust and so could hardly bear their 'concerns'.

With those I couldn't avoid, I snap easily. I react spontaneously and where possible I snub.

I became so full of strife. Anger and bitterness was not far from me. Unknowingly, I was prolonging my waiting. My prayers were ineffective. I needed to sought it all out to hear God properly. 

I beseech you my beloved sister if this is speaking of you; to shun every form of reaction that leaves you in bitterness and strife. Choose to respond in God's love and in His good time. You will see the difference that this will make in your life as you wait patiently for the promise of the Lord.

 

(Colosians 3:1-17)