Benefits of Self-Acceptance - Part 3

Last week I shared about the importance of self acceptance. And that we do not need to be looking to other people for acceptance and for our value. I also shared that when I realized that my value came from God - that I was able to better accept myself - just the way I was. It was really freeing when I finally figured out that I did not have to be good enough in order to be of value. We are bombarded by TV, secular magazines, and billboards of what the worlds idea of perfection is. What is so sad about this idea of perfection is that it is set at such an unrealistic level that most couldn't achieve it with out the help of professionals. And I, like many, fall short of those standards.

Another great thing about realizing that your value comes from God and that his standards of value differ from the worlds is that you learn to accept others as well. They, too, have awesome value because God created them in His image just as He created you in His image.

This morning I was reading a short devotional that was talking about how the wilderness sanctuary that is talked about in the Bible shows a great example of how our beauty needs to be. From the outside of it - it was plain and simple but the closer you got to it you could see that the insides of it were beautiful. See to God our greatest value and beauty does not come from outward things, but from a beautiful character on the inside. So then the question is - how do we get this beautiful character? We need to get close enough to God, spend some time every day with Him. As we spend time with Him we will start reflecting His beauty. It is my prayer that I might be a mirror in which others can see God. Oh I have a LONG ways to go..but with God's grace and patience this is a goal I hope to achieve.