Inner beauty vs Outer beauty. Is it one or the other?

I like clothes. I like make up. I like doing my nails.


In doing this experiment of Project 3:11, this shopping fast, this is one aspect I keep thinking about. I like all that stuff - is that wrong? 


Consider 1 Peter 3 -


'Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.'


I think a lot of people look at that verse and feel like its telling us to not think about those things, about 'adornment'. And so either we feel guilty because we took half an hour to do our hair this morning, or we feel high and mighty and decide other people should feel guilty because of the colour of their lipstick or number of shoes in their closet.


But something to notice about that verse is that Peter is not actually saying 'Don't wear nice clothes' or 'you're a sinful, vain person if you like jewellery.' 


He says your beauty should not come from those things. Don't focus on the outward appearance as the source of your beauty, as the thing you value most highly in being a woman. Your beauty 'should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.'


The emphasis here is more on what values you adhere to. In his time, women braided their hair ornately and this is what he was referring to - are you just doing that to your hair because it's fashion, because you are thinking about how others will view it, because you are wanting to fit in with what the world thinks is beautiful?


It is ok to like clothes, to like dressing nicely. It's ok to like physical beauty. I mean, look at the world. Look at a sunset sky - I think it's safe to say God doesn't hate things looking beautiful!


Even when the Bible uses the word modest in relation to dressing, it is a word that means 'becoming' more than it means 'sack cloth from neck to ankles'. 


It means not showy and flashy. It means not dressing to draw attention to yourself about how well off you are or how much money you have. It's about not dressing or living in a certain way just because everyone else does, or it will make you look 'in' if you wear this or buy that brand.


That's the problem - it's a slippery slope. It is very easy to find yourself focusing more and more on the outward as a large portion of your value, even if it started out innocently.


And that's why I started this experiment. Not because I think it's wrong to buy clothes, but because I wanted to check my attitude. If shopping was making me focus more on the outward appearance, if it made me worry what others thought of my fashion sense, if it made me - even for short periods - consumed with my worth based on appearance - then it was something it wouldn't hurt to give up for a while!


And what is any fast but a time to refocus on what really matters - God. To remove those things that are getting in the way - like shopping and buying new things to help me feel better - so we can actually deal with the emptiness we all sometimes feel. To actually take a look at my inner-self without the layer of emotional make up.


And I actually have had much more fun with making my own looks from what I do have. I can't care if they are old or out of fashion because I have no other options, but I kind of like it that way.


So don't feel guilty if you like clothes. Not everyone needs a shopping fast. Inner beauty does not mean throwing out all your mirrors. 


But it can't hurt to take a look inside and check that you are actually working on that inner beauty, and not covering it up with all the things the world says makes us beautiful and valuable. 


You may not be so admired by people if your clothes are out of season or you don't have the right brands. You know those people in the fancy shops who you feel like are looking at you like you don't really belong there...well, they probably are thinking that. But while people will often judge our worth by what they see, God values our hearts.


I'll take what God thinks of me over what a girl in a shop thinks of me, any day.

Stepping out of the boat

On what is meant to be Sugar Free Friday, it should perhaps be called Fearless Friday today.

Sometimes, despite all the confirmation and evidence and assurance, it is still difficult to step out of the boat and walk towards Jesus.

In Matthew 14, Jesus was right there - he was walking on the water. Though it's normally something that is impossible, he was doing it right in front of them. So when Jesus invited him, Peter also stepped out, and began to walk on the water. That is, until he noticed the wind. Until he looked to the situation instead of to Jesus. Then he remembered that walking on water is impossible, and you are more likely to drown in the wind and the waves.

Except that he had been walking on the water. And that Jesus was still there, on the water. And that anything is possible with God. But even with Jesus physically in front of him, Peter doubted.

God is for us

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31b

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

God is for us, not against us.

He never asks us to do anything that will harm us - just sometimes our definition of harm is different from His.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Imagine you are facing a difficult situation - you may not have to think too hard. You might ask God to take that situation away from you, but again, you probably don't have to think too hard to remember a time when he hasn't.

Real Faith - it's like a muscle, but not like bicep curls at the gym.

Real faith is not when you believe in God and then get whatever you prayed for…real faith is trusting God, even when you don’t get what you’ve prayed for.

"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”  Matthew 21:22. Isn't it amazing to know that nothing is impossible with faith. That we can pray and God will always hear our prayers. But I don't know if we always interpret that verse quite right.

I was reading a blog by a woman whose nine month old baby died, even though she and many others had prayed for him to be healed. Then people in the church told her the God hadn't been able to heal her son because she hadn't had enough faith! I was horrified and saddened by that.

We sometimes think it's some formula - that if we just have enough Faith, whatever we pray for we will get. But that seems to me kind of like us having the power - which is totally contrary to what God tells us.

It's saying if WE just have enough faith, If WE are just strong enough, then WE pray and WE get.

Where is God in that equation? Is God just there as some sort of prayer granting machine, only able to act when we pray with enough faith?

Do we decide how life is meant to go, and what should happen and when? I hope not, because when that happens, life is turmoil. I don't believe God is directed by us, I believe we are connected to Him through our faith allowing us to move when he moves, and become a part of His plan. Not just make Him a part of our plans.

A song I always remember singing in primary school and loving because of the actions that went along with it, was "Faith is like a muscle, use it and it will grow."

While this is true, I think without really being taught what faith is all about, it can be easily misunderstood.

When I imagine our muscles, and using them so they will grow, I picture a weight lifter, straining and bulging to lift the heavy weights above their head. Or someone in a gym, doing curls while they look at themselves in a mirror and kiss their veiny bicep.

 But seriously, I think a lot of us whether consciously or not, walk around with the feeling that we are just not straining hard enough. That we haven't built up our faith muscle enough to be able to MAKE things happen.

I don't think God intended us to look at having strong faith and being able to 'move mountains' as some kind of formula, or turning us into magicians able to control and do whatever takes our fancy.

Sometimes, of course, we do need to build our faith. It is true that we need to practise having faith, for it to grow. Use it and it will grow. But not in a way that has the focus on US being the strong ones.

This idea that we didn't have enough faith so God didn't listen becomes especially harmful to people who are suffering through something. Saying to them, in the midst of their crisis and turmoil and quite probably confusion and frustration with God, that YOU didn't pray hard enough, is like kicking them while they're down. You weren't healed, your baby died, your parents marriage fell apart, all because of YOU.  YOU didn't have enough faith. God wanted to help you, but you wouldn't let him because YOU didn't believe hard enough.

Praying is not like squeezing your eyes closed and wishing really hard to make something happen. It's never about US making things happen. It's about believing beyond a doubt that whatever happens, it's all completely in God's control. And part of walking in faith, is walking with God. God isn't arbitrary. We know there wouldn't be many occasions where walking up to a mountain and asking it to throw itself into the sea would be useful or part of Gods plan. And however much we would love God to give us the winning lottery ticket numbers and be millionaires, he probably isn't going to just because we'd like to be rich. He's not going to grant us things 'just because'. So we can also be assured that if he doesn't immediately give us what we've asked for, that is also part of his plan. Like he doesn't give us things on impulse with no regard for need or purpose, he also does not withhold things on impulse.

And like everything, when we ask God to give us more faith, it's not often he just goes, ZAP, "There you go. Go move that mountain over there." He gives us opportunities to be more faithful (consistent loyalty, devotion, unwavering belief). And that means trusting that God knows what he's doing and is always going to be God, no matter what. 

So when something doesn't happen the way we wanted, we don't need to feel like maybe we just didn't quite pray right, but that God has a different plan to what we wanted or thought was going to happen. That is using our faith and making it grow.

It doesn't mean it will always come easily. But it also doesn't mean that God will be angry with us if we have doubts or feel like it's difficult to really believe this is going to turn out ok right now. And this is where we'll fail every time if we go on thinking it's up to us to have more faith and to be stronger, because alone we will never be strong enough.

It's ok to say, "God, I know in my head that you're in control, but it's really hard to see what you're doing here. Even though I know you'll never let me down, it really feels like you have right now. I need help!"

These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:7

Even Jesus had to use faith - he wasn't looking forward (putting it mildly) to what he knew was coming. He knew it was going to be unimaginably painful, not just physically, to take all the sins of the world and be separated from God.  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22: 42-44)

And as we know, God's will was not to take Jesus out of that situation. Can we tell Jesus he just didn't quite pray hard enough, or didn't have enough faith in God? No, we can rejoice because God knew the big picture! And Jesus showed us what it means to have real faith.

God made Adam by breathing into the dirt

You've got to say that title in your best rapper voice because it's the lyrics to Hands High by Lecrae.

But beyond that, I just had a thought getting out of the shower this morning. It's always those random times when the best thoughts come to me. God likes to catch me when I'm off guard and my head is not as full of all my own stuff.

Genesis 2:7 says "the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

You could take that several ways..."so, what - human beings are just a pile of dirt then? Gee, thats encouraging.."

Or it can remid you of what's really important. Our earthly bodies are temporary and will eventually turn back to the dust they were made of. But, whatever we're told in Biology, it is not really our bodies that give us life. The blood, our heart beating, our brain firing, our lungs inflating....that's all just physical, temporary, and easily lost.

God breathed into us the breath of life... that REAL life from God. His breath, his word, his life is infused in us. It is enternal.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life - John 3:36

LIFE

That word should take on a completely different meaning for us.


"Life is hard."
"Life is short."
"I should have achieved more by this stage of my life..."

We think of life as just the physical act of being alive, or as just the passing of time as we get older and go through stages.

Thinking of it that way, enternal life doesn't really seem like such a great prospect. An enternity of struggles, expectations and falling short of dreams.


But the LIFE from God - that's an entirely different and an entirely more inspiring and exciting concept.

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you...  - 1 Peter 1:3-4

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ - John 7:37-38

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. - Colossians 3:2-3

God.... made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. - Ephesians 2:5

When the thoughts of 'life is hard', 'whats the meaning of it all?' come creeping in, read these verses, and all of Gods living word. Let him breathe again his breath of life into you heart, mind and spirit. Set your eyes on him and remember what and Who it is you are really living for...and what that LIFE really means.


It is nothing to do with out physical selves and all to do with Christ in us

Read the whole verse of Ephesians 2:1-10 

And how do we claim this life?



My son, pay attention to what I say;
       listen closely to my words.
 ²¹ Do not let them out of your sight,
       keep them within your heart;
 ²² for they are life to those who find them
       and health to a man's whole body.
 ²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
       for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:20-23

The Message version:

Learn It by Heart

 Dear friend, listen well to my words;
   tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
   Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
   body and soul, they're bursting with health.