MY BODY, MY THOUGHTS. How faith solidifies our body image in Christ

Every decade comes with its trends, and shockingly, so do bodies. For many centuries, there has been an obsession with how we look and what body is in style. For many of us, that has led to mild or severe body dysmorphia, which has affected our mental health. 

I know many people thought or still feel this way, which is heartbreaking. To convince yourself that you are physically ugly takes a lot of willpower. But what happens when we are promised strength because of our self-imposed imperfections?

To be made beautiful at your weakest point is the gift God offers us daily. 

GOD IS ENOUGH FOR US  

2 Corinthians 12:9 

Offers an excellent solution for many who battle with body dysmorphia or any mental illness. The easy Bible phrases it eloquently: "But He said to me, 'I will be kind to you and help you. That will be enough for you. When you are weak, I will show you that I am completely powerful to help you. I am happy to take pride in my weaknesses. Then I know that Christ’s power will be with me.”

Paul actively boasts about his weakness because God has already offered a solution: God is enough for us. God says, “ I will be kind to you and help you.” Other versions say, “My grace is sufficient for you.” 

God firstly assures us of His presence and position in our lives. The verse doesn’t start with God telling us about our flaws. Throughout this verse, God assures us three times that He is enough for us. 

The emphasis on God’s sufficiency, not our flaws, reminds us that it isn’t about our feelings or our views. It is about what God says. 

THE GOD WHO SEES US THROUGH THE DARKEST TIMES

God knows we are weak as humans, but we find strength in Him and His power. In the story of Hagar in Genesis 21, we see how God hears Hagar’s cries after Abraham chases her, and God calls her by her name.

In that moment, we know God as El’Roi ( The God who sees me). God sees us individually and calls us by name because we are His beloved children. He sees us because we are enough to Him, and He cherishes us the way we are. To Him, our weight, height, and even shoe size are enough. 

Hagar shows she was weak, but God was powerful enough to help her. Through her weakness, her son Ishmael formed a great nation through God’s sufficiency. Even in our weakness with mental illness( or body dysmorphia, God reminds us that we are enough, not because of who we are but because of who God is. 

WE OVERCOME THROUGH GOD’S PROMISE

When the voice in our heads tells us that we will never look as beautiful or don’t deserve to be loved, we should cling to this scripture and remind ourselves that God’s strength illuminates through our darkness. 

Self-acceptance or self-love has never been the solution to this disease that plagues many; it is simply God’s love. The comfort of knowing that the creator of the world is kind to us and helps us is a promise that will silence the darkness.