Comparison: we call it the thief of joy. It constantly causes us to feel inadequate and unworthy. It tries to rip us apart, make us over-examine our flaws, and tell us we aren’t good enough. We live in a society that encourages us to be different and unique, to embrace our imperfections and see them as beautiful, yet it also tries show us picture perfect images of what and who we should be. So how can we see ourselves as beautiful then? The short answer is to see yourself as God sees you, WORTHY, LOVED, and His MASTERPIECE. But it’s easier said than done. Seeing yourself as God’s beautiful creation can be one of the most challenging things you can do, especially in the fallen world we live in. But luckily God doesn’t leave us alone to deal with it. Through scripture, prayer, knowing yourself, and fellowship, God reminds us that we are created in His image, His beautiful image.

Our foundation for seeing ourselves as a beautiful work by God should always start with scripture. If we replace the lies Satan and society feeds us with the truths offered by the bible, we are one step closer in finding our value. God gave us verses like Proverbs 31:10 which tells us we are more precious than jewels, Ecclesiastes 3:11 which details that God has made everything beautiful in its time, or Psalm 139:14 exclaiming we are beautifully and wonderfully made are God’s ways or reminding us He sees us differently than how we see ourselves, and no matter what we see, we are unconditionally and eternally loved.

God can also reveal our beauty in times of prayer and listening. God opens our eyes when we give Him our time and reflect with Him. I don’t know about you, but I find it an extreme challenge to hear God in my prayers because I’m always looking for an answer instead of waiting to hear His voice. God always knows just what to say to us, and all He asks is for us to listen. Through prayer God can uncover His plans and purpose for our lives and from this, give us the encouragement to see that we are created beautifully by the greatest maker of all time.

Knowing yourself seems like a pretty easy thing to do, but if you’re anything like me, it’s hard to recognize what God has blessed you with. I often look around to see what God has gifted my family and friends with: music talent, artistic ability, wisdom, etc. and look back at myself and wonder, what do I have? I think it’s important to ask God what strengths He has given you and be able to recognize these distinct qualities and how He made everyone in His image, yet created such uniqueness and beauty in creation. Everyone is blessed with something from God, whether they realize it or not, and no characteristic is wasted by God. Through his blessings, He encourages us with a purpose and gives our lives value and meaning.

Finally, we have fellowship. I personally find this one to be something God has used in my life these past couple of years to help me grow and realize who I am according to Him. Building community and forming relationships is one of God’s gifts to us. He gives us this to lift each other up and encourage one another and embrace what God created us to be. From community we can see the beauty of God’s creations and all the love and grace He pours out onto our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and in turn see how God created us beautifully as well.

I challenge you the next time you look in the mirror to look through God’s mirror, which shows us that our brokenness is made beautiful, our sins are forgiven, and by His grace, we are redeemed.

Seeing yourself as God’s beautiful creation is not something that can be done overnight and it’s definitely not an easy task. Whether it’s looking into the mirror and wanting to see something else, or comparing yourself to another person, we will always find ourselves to be imperfect. Fortunately, we don’t serve a God who expects perfection. We may stumble and fall, but God calls us His beloved children. So I challenge you the next time you look in the mirror to look through God’s mirror, which shows us that our brokenness is made beautiful, our sins are forgiven, and by His grace, we are redeemed.

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

About the Author: I’m Megan Nguyen and I’m a sophomore pre-clinical nursing student. This year, I had the privilege of becoming the president of Delight Ministries, a women’s devotional club that fosters fellowship within the community of Biola. I’m super passionate about fellowship, family, and food.