What is beauty / broken beauty?

I don’t feel beautiful, I really don’t. I don’t think I ever have. 

I know that as a redeemed child of God, I have been born again of incorruptible seed and as such, should see the beauty of Christ in me, therefore having a healthy self image ... but more often than not, I don’t.

Physically, I can look at the profile photo I have on here, taken when I was 40 and I can see how much I’ve aged since then. Having had 3 children and experiencing a difficult relationship in the past 5-6 years has taken its toll. I am affected by it. I will say (as in previous posts) like the hymn writer “let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me”, and I’ll know that’s what really matters ... but let me tell you (if you’re not fully aware by now!), that my humanity will usually trump my spirituality. Sad.

I can feel physically broken, emotionally broken, mentally broken, spiritually broken and yet, no matter how broken and dirty I feel, I remain in God’s sight as one of great value and worth, cleansed by the blood and sacrifice of His son, the perfect substitute. This cleansing of everything broken and dirty about me, makes me whole, beautiful, accepted and unconditionally loved. My true worth is not determined by my own efforts or image but by the price Jesus paid, the only payment fully pleasing and acceptable to God.

I may not be in the physical shape I would ideally like to be right now, but if I concentrate more on my heart before God than my body before others, then my desires will be pure and right.

I may be broken in many ways but the truth to be told is that the healer of souls has mended me for eternity. My self worth, value, identity and security must be daily reaffirmed as in Christ, nothing and no one else. My soul is more beautiful for having been broken and redeemed. 

I pray that I may always see this in others, their inner beauty, and lead broken lives to the one true hope who said that he came to “heal the broken-hearted” (Luke 4v18). God is never surprised by our failures, sins and weaknesses, He knows all about them ... He knows and sees our brokenness but accepts us despite it. He raises us up to become sons and daughters of God so that we in turn can use our lives, our stories, our brokenness to honour Him.

Here are 2 good songs for your Monday along the lines of these thoughts:

You Raise Me Up ~ Selah

https://youtube.com/watch?v=RQc_pYC3t-k&feature=share

Truth be Told ~ Matthew West

https://youtube.com/watch?v=j4wYkS8Z3Io&feature=share

Ingrid x