It was a Saturday in the summer. I was meeting one of my favorite clients for lunch. I lifted earlier in the morning and only had a protein shake before meeting her because I didn’t want to spoil my appetite. We met at a cute little place in Charlotte and did what women do best, talked non-stop for a couple of hours over drinks and food. One of my favorite things to do is connect with my clients outside of the gym.
After our lunch date had ended, I realized that I needed a little more time before driving home. This particular restaurant was right next to one of my favorite little gift shops. So, I went inside to wander around for a little while.
As I was browsing, I remember it being a little busy for that time of day. It was the perfect Saturday and I was in no rush so I was really just taking my time. I was in the back of the store looking at some jewelry. I looked up and across the room and saw someone and my immediate thought was “wow she kind of looks like me but she is so beautiful.” Only after a few seconds did I realize that I was looking at my own reflection in a mirror. There was a reason the person who was wearing the same thing as me looked so familiar.
The beautiful girl staring back at me was ME. This moment is one that I will never forget, and I hope that you have your own moment like this. I label it “the first time I ever saw myself as beautiful the way that God does.” Because there is no other reason why He would have forced me to see myself that way on that day.
It felt like an out of body experience and truly brings me to tears when I think about the moment. And when I reflect on that, it takes my breath away to know that is how the God of the universe wants me to see myself everyday. He sees me that way every time He looks at me, and why wouldn’t He want you to see yourself through his lens? How amazing it is to view yourself through the eyes of the One who created you.
If I could live that moment over again, I would in a heartbeat, but not because I don’t realize my beauty, because I was so captivated by God’s presence in the midst of my day. That He took the time to show me how He views me in the most random moment. It was exactly the way that He designed it to be. The beauty that I saw was the kind that radiated from within. It came from the presence of spending time with someone who I cared about and knowing the impact that I made in my clients life, and likewise the impact that she had made in mine. In that moment, my beauty was showing through being the hands and feet of Jesus. Of knowing that I was doing exactly what I was created to do.
The reality is that we need more moments like that. More moments that take your breath away. More moments where you can truly be in awe of the way that He cares for you. When you finally strip away a layer and allow God to really show you who you are through Him, it deepens your bond with Him. When you flip the way you view yourself, you grow to appreciate who He created you to be. You start to care less about what the world says about you and begin to strive for what He wants for your life.
As a result, I have learned that I feel most beautiful when I am with those I love. I feel most beautiful when I am doing what I love and know that I was put on this earth to do. Beauty is not the same standards that society sets. Being beautiful comes from within.
When do you feel most beautiful? Who are you with? What are you doing? When was the last time you saw yourself through the eyes of people who love you? Do you see what they see? The challenge is to shift your focus from external beauty – which is what society tells you that you should look like, and turn that into internal beauty, which is who you become when you do what sets your soul on fire.
The reality is that your energy and character radiate beauty when you are the authentic version of yourself. For me it is when I am pouring into my clients to enhance their lives and empower them to be the best version of themselves. I know that I couldn’t do what I do without God either, so my true sense of feeling beautiful comes when I allow Him to work on me and through me. How can you create the space in your life to be open for God to show you how beautiful you are the way that He sees you?