A Girl Fit for Royalty
Café Menu for Thursday, January 21, 2016
Today’s Special is: Choosing to See His Princess, ME!
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Annah Matthews
Main Ingredient:
You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.
Song of Solomon 4:7 NLT
Entrée:
She is a girly girl. A lover of painted nails and glittery purses, plastic high heel shoes and princess dresses. Her favorite color is pink. At only age 3, she believes she is a princess. She is my daughter and she teaches me a lot.
I was combing her hair the other day and fashioned it in a high bun on top of her head. I mostly did it out of the necessity to keep it off her face, but she looked in the mirror when I was finished and exclaimed, “Mommy, I’m a princess! I need my crown!”
I didn’t outfit her with a royal robe, a bejeweled crown, or place a gold scepter in her hand. She simply saw herself as beautiful, treasured, and esteemed.
Why is that?
Because she is confident that she is loved, she is told that she is special, and she is secure in who she is.
WOW! If all it took was a messy bun on top of my head to let me see myself as a beautiful princess...
What a moment for me to step back and let the negative chatter in my mind come to a screeching halt and allow the words of my Savior, my Lord, my King of Kings to seep into my thoughts. I, too, am a daughter of the King.
Created. Special. Loved. Chosen. Adopted. Set Apart. Beautiful.
Why don’t I see myself as beautiful? Why does the one looking back at me in the mirror see all the flaws and imperfections? Why don’t I honor my Creator Lord more and see myself as He sees me?
Because I am a sinful person with human flaws. I know my worst side, but God knows also.
He still loves me and calls me His Girl.
He Perfects the imperfect.
He Rights the unrighteous.
He Loves the unlovable in me.
How can I see myself as my Heavenly Father sees me?
It takes time through transformation of my heart and mind. It is abiding in His Word. Reading His Truth. Letting Scripture saturate my heart and mind. Covering the negative talk with prayer and asking Him to transform the way I see myself.
It’s a slow process, but I have made a lot of headway. I walk with slightly more confidence today than I did a decade ago; not because of what I have done, but because I am finding my self-worth and identity in Him. I boast not of myself, but of He who has done a mighty work in me.
I still don’t look in the mirror every day and tell myself I’m a princess, but I should, because my Father is the King.
Take Out:
I, like you, will probably struggle with negative self-talk from now until Jesus returns, but thank God I do not have to live imprisoned to it. I take captive every thought that is not from God. I recognize condemnation does not come from Christ but from the enemy. I do not allow it to occupy space in my mind, causing guilt and shame, because I give it to God in prayer. I focus on the Truth of God’s Word and let that Truth set me free.
Easy? No. Possible? Yes.
Dessert:
Dear Father, would You allow us to see ourselves for just a moment as You see us? Would You cast away the shame, guilt, and doubt that so easily entangles us and allow us to hear Your Truth? Remind us that when we asked Christ into our hearts and lives, that His Beauty covered our imperfections and transformed us into new creations. Allow us to give our negative thoughts to You and transform us from the inside out to see ourselves and others through Your Eyes. Thank You for giving us a crown of beauty instead of ashes and remind us that our identity can be transformed through You.
© 2016 by Annah Matthews. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Thursday, 21 January 2016.
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