Mirror Mirror

Instead of the classic "mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all," mine sounds more like:

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, how many flaws can we find in all?"

Anyone else able to relate to that? Each time I look I ask the same question and get the same answers. I see the big hips. I see the bland colored hair and eyes. I see the large nose. I see the freakishly tall body. I see the fat. I see the cellulite. I see the acne scars. I see the imperfections. Every single one of them.

{Enter Discontentment. I've spent the majority of my life being discontent with what I see in the mirror. I've hated mirrors all my life. 

Side note: I started three posts at the beginning of the challenge to give me a head start before it all started. The topics were as follows: self-image, weight, and singleness. My top three areas of discontentment. You probably thought the worst was over with my discontentment posts, but you haven't seen anything yet. This is where it gets good. These are the three areas that plague me the most. 

So self-image. This isn't my first rodeo when it comes to blogging about this struggle. Feel free to just keep scrolling because I guarantee you won't hear anything too new.

Hear me say: I'm not seeking pity or compliments. I'm just being genuinely honest about the true state of my heart. I've spent my entire life surrounded by beautiful people. People who win beauty pageants. People who are admired for their skin, face, hair, etc. I love these people. so much. But I've just never quite measured up to their beauty. {comparison equals discontentment} I've never been the one who guys stop in their tracks to admire. I've never been the one who people would guess was a pageant girl. I know this.

But who am I to tell God He made a mistake? Who am I to question God? Who am I to be discontent with the way God created me?

You just can't beat the Psalm 139 passage. It is used quite often in this case. But I believe that is because of how truly powerful it is. God does not make mistakes and His Word says in the words of David:

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body." {Psalm 139:13-16a NIV}

Did I mention that God doesn't make mistakes? He took the time to consider the color of my hair, the complexion of my skin, the length of my fingers, my exact height {all five foot eleven inches of me}, my build, and the shape of my figure. He made me exactly the way I am.

I have to recite these verses on a regular basis to remind myself that my view of my self-image is just that. My view. God did not make any mistakes on me.

my Creator, King of my heart, and Father God, show me how to be content with the way you made me. My reflection in the mirror will never meet earthly standards which makes it a good thing that I am held to Your standards. I thank you for creating/making/forming me the way that I am ... even tall, even oddly proportioned, even just me. Some days I lose sight of you, my Creator, but my prayer is that you always point me back to you. Show me the way to contentment.

Contentment is not found in my appearance/self-image. Contentment is found in Jesus.

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{This series is a part of a writing challenge given by the nester, Myquillyn Smith, to write for 31 Days. You can check the write31days website out here and enjoy hundreds of other bloggers joining together for this challenge. My posts are a part of my personal topic choice of 31 Days of Contentment, and you can find the link for the entire series here.}