How to be a True Beauty~ Inner Beauty Article by Madeline Hunt

"You don't need a temporary man-made beauty, cause you got the real thing. THE REAL THING!"

One of my really good friends posted this on my facebook page recently and it got me thinking. Why is everyone myself included so obsessed with being beautiful on the outside and forgetting what is so important the inner beauty of your heart. But I realised it it true! I don't need the latest fashions or tons of make-up. He is what makes me beautiful!

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. ⁵For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves 1 Peter 3-5a

I don't think this verse is condemning braiding your hair or wearing cute clothes, but emphasizing what really matters- the inner beauty in your heart. But your heart can't be "beautiful" if you are harboring bitterness, unforgiveness, shame, guilt, secret sin or many other things. You have to forgive others and confess your iniquity's to the Lord, you may also need to confess to other people you have hurt or sinned against. I know how hard that is!! But it is SO worth it to get it out into the open! Several months ago I was burdened by feelings of guilt and tinges of regret. I wasn't free even though I had already confessed my sin to God. Then one of my close friends encouraged me to tell my parents.

 At first when I read her email I thought to myself "There is absolutely NO WAY I am ever telling them, what I did wasn't even bad in the world's eyes, why should they even know?!?" But I kept thinking about over and over for about 2 or 3 weeks and then I came to the conclusion that I had to tell them otherwise I was never going to be free from my past. It was so hard for me to humble myself and tell them, I wrote them a letter. I was so freed after that! My heart had room to be adorned by Christ with His beauty. I want to encourage you all. Let him make you beautiful! I know you may have scars but the scars are a reminder that He has set you free to live and love him with wild abandon. You are beautiful in his sight! Our true beauty is Christ living in us. Our hearts were ugly and dirty before he took them and molded them and exchanged the stone for flesh. It does not matter what color your eyes are. How much you weigh or if your clothes are stylish or not. He wants your heart! He will make you truly Beautiful!

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11a

Photograph Property of 'Lilies Among Thorns Magazine' taken by Alyssa Dannettel