Unravel Me

It is really hard being a woman sometimes. But more than that, it is really hard to be a Christian woman. Especially in this world. With all of the constant fashion, makeup ads, and cute accessories flashed in front of our faces from day to day, we tend to want to go with the flow and shop, shop, shop to keep up.

I have a confession. I love TLC's What Not to Wear. I have learned so much from that show, from the straight legged paints to the pointy toe shoes. And there is something about watching that person's reaction when they have seen the final transformation that is super entertaining to me. But you know, I've been thinking. There is something kind of sad about every end of each episode of that show. When all is said and done, and the ladies have a new look, with a new wardrobe complete with new hair and makeup, they all say the same thing. "I have so much more confidence now. I feel like a new person with a new life and things are going to be so much better." It is kind of disheartening to know that these people did not have a "complete life" until they had a makeover. Do we really hold so much value in our style and look? I'm totally guilty. I love getting new purses and pretty jewelery. And if my feet weren't shaped weird, I'm sure I'd be a shoe girl too!

But 1 Peter 3:3 says - "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, you should be known of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." I love that ... "you should be known". So it got me to thinking... what am I known for? Am I known by my friends as the girl who is always wanting the latest fashions to wear and who wants to go shopping for the most hip shoes? Or am I known for my gentle and quiet spirit? Umm... quiet spirit?? I'm pretty sure I'm not known by that yet. :)

But here is the thing. I want to be.

The psalmist says in Psalm 119:37 "Turn my eyes away from worthless things. Give me a new life in your ways." What could be more worthless than what we decorate ourselves with? It will be extremely hard for me to completely turn away from the desires of this world. And I'm pretty sure that I will still occasionally "fall in love" with a pretty purse or earrings. But the important thing is to be sure and not find my value in these things. To not let it take me over so much that because I get a new look I feel like life will be so much better. And to definitely not be KNOWN for obsessing over these things. I want for people to be able to look at me and see the inside.

So that is my prayer today. That I may live in such a way that people see the real me. The one that does not claim this world as her home. I have more beautiful things than clothes and shoes to set my eyes upon, like my eternity in Heaven.

Dear God, Unravel Me.....