God's Standard of Beauty

     Beauty can feel unattainable, the world’s standards are always changing yet still continue to be just out of reach. Will we ever be thin enough? Tall enough? Will our clothes ever be fashionable enough? Our teeth white enough? The list goes on and on! But with God, none of that matters; His standard for beauty has never changed, it goes deeper than our surface appearance and, yes, it is completely attainable!!

    When God commands us to worship Him in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 96:7-9) it means that both holiness and the beauty found through holiness are attainable!! We are never asked to do the impossible, we can be holy AND be beautiful before God!

“Do not let your adornments be merely outward – 
arranging of the hair, wearing of gold, 
or putting on fine apparel – 
rather let it be the hidden person 
of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty 
of a gentle and quiet spirit, 
which is very precious in the sight of God. 
For in this manner, in former times, 
the holy women who trusted in God 
also adorned themselves, 
being submissive to their own husbands.” 
(1 Peter 3:3-5 NKJV)

    Don’t put all your time and attention on the outward, be sure to put time and effort into the hidden person of the heart – your inner self – through reading/study of God’s word, prayer, and good works; discover the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit who lovingly respects her husband and encourages his efforts to be the family leader God wants him to be. ~ Did you notice that our examples in this are “the holy women who trusted in God”? Holiness and beauty, together again!    

    God looks beyond the surface and here is what He provides: 

• Instruction on how to lay aside every weight (of sin, Hebrews 12:1-2)
• Instruction on how to grow and flourish in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), 
• His armour of light, and it will always be the right thing to wear on every occasion (Romans 13:12, Ephesians 6:10-18)
• He can whiten our souls, making them spotless through Jesus’ blood and His forgiveness when we confess our sins to Him (1 John 1:9,  Psalm 51:7-9, 1 John 1:7) 

    Do you trust God enough to pursue the attainable beauty He grants us through obedience of His commands? It is a beauty that does not fade away, incorruptible, genuine, and lasting!! It only takes some daily time and effort and the results will astound you!! Are you ready to try? 

Let today be the day!!

You can do it! So can I!!