Improving Body Image Biblically
Friends, we have been sold a big fat lie: changing how we look will improve our body confidence.
Even though Satan would have you think it’s true, it is false. He wants us to think these things, so we are distracted by our bodies and unable to focus on our God-given assignments in life.
Changing how we look at our bodies is what improves body image! Positive body image has nothing to do with your actual appearance but with how you think about your body.
So, you need to change the thought patterns you have towards your body, not actually change your body composition, hair cut, weight, closet options or whatever else you think will suddenly give you your dream life.
From a Biblical lens, you need to start seeing your body through his lens: the lens of compassion, thankfulness, love, kindness.
When I borrow clothes from my sister, I take extra care of them - more than my own clothes. Why? I want to be able to present them to her later as well taken care of, to please her, and so she trusts me to borrow things in the future.
Do you find you take better care of things when they are on loan, too? Try doing that with your body. Think of it as on loan from God, that one day you will meet him face to face and show him how you treated your body. He will be pleased knowing you took care of it, that you spoke about it like he would! Resting it. Moving it. Feeding it. Doing joyful things in it. Being thankful for it.
Try to focus on making your body feel how you want it to, versus making it look a certain way. You don’t need to look how the world says you need to in order to be beautiful or happy. Body size isn’t an indicator of health, happiness or beauty. I thought that way for many years, and, when I developed an eating disorder in high school and finally got to tiny double digits, I was more miserable than ever! I felt so lied to!
“Wait, what?! I thought less weight was supposed to fix everything!” It didn’t - not even close. But, what did help was getting help from Christian counselors and coaches to help me start thinking about my body at any size as being a good body, worthy of love in any state. He made it, he died for me, and that makes me of worth, not my body. Now I do the same - helping women with body image struggles the same way I was once helped!
How do you like to feel? Strong, balanced, energized, healthy? What practices in life help you do that? Pick one, and try to do it once a week! Start small, and invite God into habit change. Trust his ability to form new habits in you, not your own human willpower. Be a team, using his abilities. Regular self care in various areas (social, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.) will improve body image. When you feel better, your body image is better! Wear clothes that fit, too - game changer for body confidence!
Another thing I suggest, which is something I teach my body image coaching clients, is to picture the Lord present always - when you say mean things about your body out loud alone, or when with girlfriends who are saying the same thing about their bodies. Unfortunately, we can bond through body bashing.
I don’t speak to my husband alone the same way I do when his parents are around. I can say mean things to him when we are alone, but when they are around I would never dream of it! Do the same with God, and remember he hears what you say about his useful gift of a body. He is always listening, always there. It pleases him when we don’t bully his creation and creativity!
When something mean comes to mind about your body, be quick to correct it. “No, I don’t say that about my body anymore.” Don’t identify with someone who speaks down to her body but who either says positive or neutral things about her body parts. Think of yourself as a child of God who is grateful for the body her heavenly father gave her. It will feel weird and foreign at first, but it will become your new normal to think of yourself that way.
Choose to see your body as he sees it. It’s not the main thing but something that allows you to do the main thing: love others, share about him, and do our personal God-assignments.
For more resources on body image from a Christian perspective, you can use the following link to check out Nyla’s two-week body image devotional for believers called Confident Bod Club, available in both eBook and audiobook format: Click here!