Mirrors

Raine said that one day one of us could discuss how too much happiness can lead to emptiness. This is not that day as I am uncertain as to where she was leading. So I am turning this topic to another relevant point.

Raine and I have been very busy over the past year. We've gone through a lot of trials in which we've grown stronger, but we both struggle a lot with insecurities.

Today, I want to talk about mirrors. They show us our reflection of whom we are. They highlight our beauty and our flaws. Or at least, that's what we believe. It is our perception that points our our beauty or flaws. The mirrors shows us exactly as who we are. We are human. As a human, we have our own perceptions of how we should look and criticize every flaw that we see.

I, for one, am guilty of this daily. I point out that I'm heavier than I want to be, my blemishes, my dry lips, the dark circles under my eyes, the wrinkles every time I smile. I could go on, but I think I've made my point. Every flaw gnaws at me and stifles me.

I pull out concealer, lip gloss, and try to suck in my stomach. The mirror defines who I am. I do not define who I am. Which is where I run into my problem. So often, I let an inanimate object tell me that I am ugly. I let it convince me that I am unworthy, unintelligent, and never going to get out of this pit.

The mirror should not define me. I was created by a God who loves me. I was created in His imagine. I am perfect in His eyes. I am the one He sent His son to die for. I am the greatest treasure in all of the earth. So why can't I see past all of my flaws and accept that I am the fairest of all?

Because I let mirrors define me. I don't let what God thinks of me define who I am. I don't let the fact that others love me or call me beautiful define the person I am. No, I let an inanimate object mock me. I can't believe someone real, but I can believe an object. When I put it in that perspective, I feel foolish. I let something so trivial shape the person I am.

But we all do it. We define ourselves by the label we wear, the music we listen to, the games we play, the coffee we drink, the cars we drive, or even the jobs we have. They are all like mirrors. They are what define us most of the time. However, we are children of a God who has everything we could want. We fill ourselves with temporary happiness in our apperances and possessions.

Those things are exactly that: temporary. However, being defined by God and who we are in God are forever. We are never imperfect in His eyes. Do you let yourself be defined by objects instead of Christ? Do you remind others how beautiful they are?