Outfit & Thoughts // Boho Top & Body Image

Hello dear readers! I have a long post coming up for you, so I'll keep this short and sweet. :) As always, I hope you've had a good week so far!

This unique top is another fun second-hand find! Combined with the earrings gifted to me by a friend, this outfit has a bohemian flair. The leather sandals have been my favorite shoes lately, as they are so comfortable to wear around work.

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"How do I look?" The first thing people notice about us is our appearance. As we get to know each other, all the other things that compose us begin to give them a fuller view of who we are. However, the external and physical part of our being remains prominent. While God sees our hearts, man continues to look upon outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:17).

More than one well-meaning person has told me that they wish they had my problem of always being thin. I can only reply that no, they don't. An illness dwindled my already slender frame to almost nothing in my late teens, and since recovering I've never been able to regain my former weight. Besides having a naturally light build and high metabolism I often don't have much of an appetite and have trained myself to eat even when I don't feel like. And yes, the way I look does affect my mood sometimes.

Psalm 139:13-14 tells us that God took special care in creating us and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Because of what we've told ourselves or been told by others about our bodies, this fact can be hard to believe sometimes. When should we be content with our shape and size? When should we have a healthy concern? Here are a few questions I've come up with for you and I to help filter the truth from all the lies.

1. Has changing my body's appearance become an idol?
When we obsess over being some definition of "thin" or "curvy" or "toned" to the point that it has obscured our love for God or others, things have gone too far. Sometimes, our motives can be wrong as well. While looking attractive is not at all a bad goal, it could become impure or get in the way of making sure our characters are beautiful.

2. Am I unhealthy? 
Human bodies come in as much variety as their tastes, talents, and hobbies. Many different sizes are healthy depending on the person. If our body has ceased to function normally from lack of or excess weight and/or bad eating habits, it's time to reexamine our lifestyle. Mental health can also be linked to eating, so it's good to regain health in that area. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." While scripture emphasizes our inner being's spiritual health, it is clear that our bodies have a role in honoring the Lord. This ties in with the next question.

3. Am I caught in destructive, sinful habits?
As I said before, eating habits can be related to mental suffering. However, we need to see if any of our eating issues are rooted in sin, and then do the painful work pulling out the weeds in our hearts. This helps our spiritual and physical well-being.

As fallen human beings our thoughts aren't always in the right place. That being said, if we can generally answer "no" to the above questions, it's time to start working with what we've got! Instead of questioning why God gave you this body, learn to enjoy the benefits of what makes you you! Look up your body type online and see what clothing works best for you.

In closing, I would like to urge everyone reading this to be careful about what you say to yourself and others regarding our bodies. What may seem to be helpful words can really be harmful. While it's up to each of us to take every thought captive to Christ, a little kindness from others never hurts. Each of us is made in the image of God, and we should treat each other as such!

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Genesis 1:27