"It's whats on the inside that counts." How many times have we heard this? How many times have we said this to someone? I've said it. I've heard it. How cliche.
Well, it was cliche in my mind until my mind was renewed.
1 Peter 3:3 "Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."
He really is working on me! He is showing me "how" I can be more beautiful than ever without trying. You see...I don't need to try. I just need to do what He has asked of me in His word. It is pretty straight forward really. The challenge is to decide that you (I) really want to do what He asks. Even when it goes against everyone you see and everything you know. Ouch!
He recently spoke to me about the way I dress. Which by most peoples standards was probably just fine. Not provocative or anything of the like. But as He showed me through His eyes and His word, I began to see just how subtle satan is in women and the views that we accept.
"You have sold out your daughters." (A statement to me from the Holy Spirit)
I believe this was a blanket statement for the generations not specifically about my daughters. However, myself, my daughters and many women around me are included in this. His further explanation.
"It had become acceptable for you to put on a pair of jeans, turn around and look in the mirror to see how your back side looked. Who were you doing this for?" "How exactly does this glorify My kingdom?"
"You (as in the generations) have taken your young girls shopping for padded push up bras, skirts that show too much, clothes that leave nothing to the imagination. Why? How does this glorify My kingdom?"
"You have decided that when your daughters wear something that you instantly find to short, too revealing, to tight; that it is not worth a fight to tell them to change their clothes." "Are they not worth the fight?"
What have we done? My heart aches.
As I continue to seek Him in prayer, meditate on His spoken and dig into His Word, He is removing the scales that have been on my eyes. He is showing me how much of a gift we as women are to our husbands and our husbands to be. We have a precious internal gift that is only intended for our husbands. Our "femininity"...all of it!
1 Corinthians 7:3 "Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does."
I understand that this statement alone may wrinkle some feathers. But I also understand that this is my revelation for me. (I hope you all understand that too!)
When I look at this scripture what I now see is this: My body is for my husband. Thankfully, my husband would not give my body to another. So why would I be willing to put myself in a wrapper that is pleasing and enticing to anyone else? Because, lets face it...unless I walk around backwards looking in a mirror, the fact that my rear end looks good isn't to please me is it? Yikes!
I am thankful that my Father in Heaven loves me so much that He is showing me how to be the beautiful gift He created. I'm thankful that He has revealed this to me in a way that I can understand and in a time that I am willing to chose His ways.
In Love, Staci
Beautiful~ Amen and Amen
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