Cultivating Inner Beauty

I’ll never forget when I began noticing other women for their inner beauty. Sure, I had friends with some awesome character qualities, but I honestly grew up in a very superficial surrounding. I grew up with the world telling me what beautiful was, which is an askew perception. Needless to say, I was busy comparing myself to others and seeking a form of unattainable perfectionism instead of cultivating inner beauty which I would one day find, matters for eternity.

Cultivating inner beauty is something I wish that I valued at a young age. I thought my outer appearance was all I had going for me. However get me in front of a camera and I certainly lacked the inner confidence. Yes, I attempted modeling, had some solid jobs as well as some shady ones.

I believe that cultivating inner beauty at a young age, would have made for a more purposeful life. Had I lived in the confidence of who I am in Christ, I would have been more concerned about what people thought about the real me, rather than how good I looked in a crop top and short shorts. We all know that outer beauty fades and when that happens, what are you left with?

I remember guys would “cat call” me and I absolutely hated it! For this very reason, later in life, I began dressing more modestly to avoid men doing this to me in addition to personal convictions.

For myself, even coming to the realization of desiring inner beauty had transpired as an adult. Through the years, I’ve met many women who were set apart. Women who’s outer appearance faded as their eyes shined bright with the warm, genuine love of Jesus.

What is Inner Beauty?

At first, I think of the character qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit. To learn more on the Fruit of the Spirit, you might like: What is the Fruit of the Spirit & How to Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit

I’m also reminded of several bible verses such as 1 Samuel 16:7 The Lord says “Do not look on his appearance. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

1 Peter 3:3-4 “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

But what really hits home for me, is when I stopped the partying lifestyle and started hanging around Christian women. I remember one in particular who wouldn’t have been my “old” definition of a beautiful woman, but my definition changed that day. She had a type of beautiful that – in that moment I realized – I deeply longed for. Her makeup less face and modest apparel faded away with the genuine glistening in her eyes and words like honeycomb on her lips. Friends, she loved Jesus and I saw Jesus in her. I didn’t see judgement, envy or comparison, rather love, confidence and joy that was supernatural.

How to Cultivate Inner Beauty

I believe that as we grow in our faith, we become more like the attributes of Christ. Our confidence of who we are in Him has the opportunity to radiate His love and His light.

Now that I am a mother to two boys, it’s just as important to me to teach them about inner beauty as it would be if I were raising girls. I often find myself telling my boys how handsome they are. But if it’s not equivalent to how kind, loving, funny, smart and compassionate they are. I can quickly inadvertently teach them that they are nothing but good looks if I’m not intentional about what I speak to them.

As I grow in my faith, I hope to be an example to them of inner beauty. Talking to them about what to look for in a girl goes far beyond what they look like on the outside. Living in a superficial and materialistic world can be easy for kids to get wrapped up in what they don’t have or look like. So be encouraged to raise your kids up to know how God sees them and why that matters.

My soul actually aches when I see young girls dressing proactively because chances are, they are the same girl I once was. They aren’t confident enough in their inner beauty so they overcompensate by using their body to attract others and be noticed for something. More kids need to know that what’s on the inside matters more than what’s on the outside. And we have a responsibility to be that example.

Please share cultivating inner beauty with a friend and if you enjoyed this read, you might like 3 reasons why we should treat our body as a temple.