FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

I am learning more and more each day how important it is to tell my story or share my insecurities. We never know when someone in the room struggles with the same thing and how we can overcome it together. We must overcome the fear of people judging us and be willing to be naked with the truth of our struggles.
My hairstylist had just finished my hair, and I looked in the mirror and said something like, “girl, you are back and looking good.” My stylist started laughing at the sheer fact that I was talking to myself in such a way. We both were laughing, and I began to share my reason for doing this with her. I shared with her how I have more negative thoughts than positive thoughts. I shared how I can be critical of my body and mind and only focus on the blemishes and how I can compare myself to other women more than I like to admit. I shared how I look in the mirror, and I say how fat or ugly I look. Now I told you we were both just laughing before I explained. As I was sharing, I noticed a shift in her demeanor. She became quiet and started to relate personally to my story.
Then I shifted and began sharing something I recently started doing with her, mainly in the mornings after I awake. I shared how I now intentionally look in the mirror and remind myself how fearfully and wonderfully I am made because God said so. I remind myself that I am God’s Masterpiece and that my imperfections are perfect because He is perfect. I shared with her that every time I speak ill of myself, I say I am not good enough. I am telling Him that He does not know what He is doing. I am telling Him that I do not like His work which causes me to be ungrateful for the life He has given me. I can become entitled and complain to Him about how He could have done a better job and so forth and so on. As I share, my stylist cuts in and tells me it is time for me to go. She said, “Miss Lady, I did not ask for this today.” She was joking with me. She and I have a great relationship that goes beyond hair. But then she started sharing how she is struggling with the same thing, and what I was saying was convicting. We continued to dialogue a little more about our struggles and how we needed to be more grateful for all the Lord has done and continues to do in us. We talked about how He’s perfect, and so we are perfect. I challenged her to start each day by looking in the mirror and affirming her loveliness. Not because she says so and not because the world says so, but because God says so. His words and thoughts are the only things that matter.
What if I never busted out and talked to myself in her mirror? What if I never shared my actual inner struggles with her? What if I never shared one of the ways I used to overcome my stinking thinking? I spent many years living “what if” that I am determined to live “why not.” Why not be vulnerable? Why not share? Why not be transparent? Because, at best, someone else may get free from hearing my struggles. At worst, people will know my true self and judge me. No matter what, I win!