3 Steps towards a Perfect Body Image

17 years ago I looked in the mirror and I saw a fat lady staring at me. The funny thing is that I weighed 120 lbs at the tender age of 16. For years this memory terrorized and amazed me. Five years ago I learned exactly why that weird thing happened to me. I learned all about the tyrant that mentally oppressed  me and the negative view I had of myself. Thank God I was set from the tyrant that bound me as I started to learn to see myself as God sees me. 

You'd think that this is the kind of stuff only teenagers deal with. I have talked to young and older women who deal with the same issue. The fact is, what you see in the mirror is not the same image you have in your head and that bothers you. When you are super critical of the image you see in the mirror there's no way you can live in peace with the person reflected in the mirror. Don't be fooled, the accusing voice in your mind is not from God. 

Here are the 3 ways I used to silence the tyrant that oppressed me for years:

1 • I went to God - the Creator had to tell me, the creation, how things are supposed to work. As human beings we go through hurts, pains and other things that change the way we see ourselves. God can heal us from all that ails us and it is necessary to seek Him first. God did use other resources (counseling, education, a book on the subject, support) to help me stay in this path of healing but going to God was my first step.

2 • I see myself as God sees me - God loves me unconditionally and He gave me a normal body. In recent years this healthy body was the temporary home of 3 great kids, which caused some outward changes. I have learned to value myself for who God created me to be and not through the crazy expectations of the culture. There's a big difference in how others see you, how you see yourself and how God sees you. God, who is love, has the best input in the matter. Go with His opinion first.

3 • I keep adjusting my view - I'm not flawless so at times the reflection I see in the mirror gets distorted. That's when I start weighing myself a little too much or being critical or the body God created for His glory. I have to keep going back to God so He can reveal His love to me and that's how I get back on track. This is not a spiritual experience only. My will needs to get on board and I make a decision not to weigh myself too much, not to say negative things about myself, etc. I also have accountability on board to remind me of what really matters when it comes to body image.

For further reading on my story, please go to the following posts:

• The Weight of my mind 

• The image
QUESTION: Do you have a tyrant accusing you? How can these 3 steps help you have a better image of yourself?