There may be an earthly definition of beauty, and it certainly changes throughout the ages with its different styles and standards of what is and isn't considered beautiful, but that is worldly standards. But it is God, the Creator of heaven and earth, who makes things beautiful and worthy of praise.
He takes that in our lives which is dark and ugly, whether that be within ourselves or our outside circumstances, and puts a new song in our hearts and praise on our lips. God is the only one who can mend broken hearts, heal all wounds, include the outcasts of society, heal addictions, and restore broken relationships. God is the only one who can make all those dark and ugly things beautiful again by turning our stories into praise. He turns our mourning and complaining into songs of praise. Beautiful songs of praise to our Lord Jesus.
There is not just the physical attributes of ugly and beautiful. There is that which we can see and hear, but there is also the spiritual darkness within us that is ugly—pride, fleshly desires, lusts, evil thoughts, and unkind thoughts about our neighbor are all examples of spiritual ugliness that are not pleasing to God, our Father in creation. However, He makes us beautiful again through the process of sanctification. He makes all that is ugly in our lives beautiful again. He gives us a new heart.
We never need to buy another beauty product again because our beauty is not measured by world standards. As Christians, we live for an audience of One, and it is God who makes all things truly beautiful. Not us. Both spiritually—what comes from our hearts—and what comes out of our mouths.
Not forgetting, when we hear the word “beautiful,” it is not by the world’s standards of outward beauty and adornments; it is by God and what He deems to be beautiful. He makes it beautiful by giving us a new song. When He saves us and makes us His saints, He washes away all our iniquities and makes us beautiful. We really don’t need to worry about our aesthetic appearance because God makes us all special and unique, and what makes us beautiful comes from within. It comes from our spiritual condition, and it comes from our hearts. Beauty truly does come from within. But it is God who gives us this beauty. Remember, God does not look at the outside as man does, but He looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
All the work that God does within us day by day during the sanctification process is God beautifying us, day by day making us into His perfect likeness.
Keep praising the Lord— that is true beauty. (Psalm 147)
Prayer: Lord, we thank You for the beauty that You create in us. We praise You for transforming our brokenness into something beautiful. Help us to remember that true beauty comes from within, from a heart surrendered to You. Continue to sanctify us and make us more like You. May our lives be a reflection of Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Bible Verse: "A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart."
(Proverbs 21:2, NIV)
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