Not of the World

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2

Me (as God wants me)                        Who the world expects me to be

My entire life I've conformed to the world's expectations.  I knew no different. I became the girl on the right in so many ways.  Dressed in expensive clothes. Pulled a veil over my face. Pretended like everything was okay.  Dressed a little risque and showed the world just how skinny I could be. I hid my imperfect teeth.  I had to have perfect hair.  My life was flawless. No emotion.  I was an empty shell of a teenage girl, wishing I was someone else.  It took me three months to turn in to the girl on the right and it has taken me five years to turn back to the girl on the left... the world destroying my perspective of truth and beauty.  The verse that began this transformation? Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The rest of the verse came later as I grew, but this changed my life.  I remember the moment I heard it, from whom I heard it, where I was standing, and I have it underlined and highlighted in my Bible from the day I heard it.  I reference this verse more times than I can count.  I still struggle sometimes with the world's expectations.  I still battle with myself about loving myself and my body.  But in the end, I know what is most important.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

The world has ingrained into my brain that I am imperfect. We are all imperfect in our own way, as humans. In Christ however, I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  My teeth don't need to be perfect, my hair is beautiful as it is.  My face? God's creation.  My heart?  The Holy Spirit resides. Nothing can stop Christ from loving me, NOTHING. Not evil, not the world, not myself, nothing. So I say this... do not conform to the world's expectations.  Do not let them take over your mind, corroding it with all this crap and lies.  Christ is truth. Christ is love. Nothing else matters.  Don't be the girl on the right. Be the girl on the left.  Be Yourself.