Mirror Mirror On The Wall

By: Sarah MacKinney

I was putting laundry away in my daughter's bedroom a few days ago and the radio was on a Christian station. The dee jays were discussing a recent study that said the average woman puts herself down 8 times a day. At first I thought that was a little far fetched, but then I replayed the thoughts that go through my head some days and I realized it probably wasn't too far off. We fill our minds &/or our mouths with comments ranging from "I would be worth more if I weighed less," "You'll never be able to move on from the shame of your past," "People would like you if you were more outgoing (or less outgoing)" and the list goes on and on. So what happens when we replay these thoughts over and over? What happens when we let these words fall from our lips day after day? A lot! It affects our attitudes, our self esteem, it can affect our relationship with God and our relationships with other people; not to mention how unworthy and guilt-ridden it makes us feel.

So why do we entertain thoughts that have such a negative impact on our self worth? Why do we look in the mirror with disgust? Maybe its because of what people have said to us or because of years of bottled up shame. Perhaps it is because we have placed unrealistic expectations on ourselves or we compare ourselves to other women. There is a long list of reasons why. Whatever your reason, YOU MUST STOP! God made you beautifully YOU! Your "quirks," your mannerisms, your freckles, your curly unruly hair, your little feet, the way you sneeze; all of it. Fashioned and formed by a really awesome God! Some say I get too excited over everything. I've been told I'm too competitive and that I'm loud. What about you? Maybe you've been told that you have a few pounds to lose or that you're unorganized. Talk too much. Laugh too loud. Clean too little. Blah, blah blah. But here is the good news! YOU were fashioned by a God who knows every detail of your life, your body, your personality and HE says you are good enough. In fact He says you are more than merely "good enough." He says you are fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you know He looks on you with adoration? That He dances over you with singing and quiets you with His love?  He delights in YOU! Doesn't that far outweigh the critics and the opinion of man?

So what do we do?  How do we change this negative self talk? First and most important, pray and ask God to reshape your thoughts, to retrain your mind; ask Him to whisper to you HIS thoughts toward you. Next, get into the word and read about how much you are loved and valued.  Tape scripture to your mirrors that inspire you, verses that speak of how much your Heavenly Father adores you. And then, take every thought captive. That's right, EVERY thought! 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ."  This means that we don't have to entertain negative thoughts. We have the power to take every thought that enters into our minds and redirect. Next time you get on a "I'm so (insert insult here)" roll, stop it in its track and shut it down. Don't play it over and over and over like a broken record. My prayer is that every woman who reads this will see herself the way that God see's you. You are a treasure. You were bought with a price. When you begin walking in that truth nothing can stop you!

Sarah