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I have heard so many times that, “Society ruins our self-image, but everyone is beautiful and we need to look beyond the image society gives us of perfection.” Recently at my church we had an entire night revolving around the insecurities we feel and how in the eyes of the Lord, we are perfect.
I have to admit, this sounds great. But the past week, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and theologically, I think there’s more to it.
To start, society doesn’t ruin our self image. Society isn’t a person. We are society. I think we can easily fall into the trap of blaming “American culture” or “our modern-day society”, but frankly, we need to assume the responsibility of being a part of it. Society in and of itself doesn’t have the power to do anything.
Rather, Satan himself is the core of our insecurity and doubt. He leads us astray in this way.
Everyone has their insecurities. There is only one way to truly be at peace with ourselves. That is in Christ. He is the way, He is the truth, and He is the life (John 14:6) that sustains us. It is so important for us to look beyond ourselves when it comes to our self image.
John 3:30 states that “He must increase and I must decrease.”
In a world that promotes self esteem and feeling great about who we are, this is an easy message to be convoluted. Humility in the fact that we are little to the world and can only become something when it is through God and for His Glory isn’t exactly the popular message.
But, it comes down to the core of who we are. Psalm 139:14 tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” So as far as perfection, YES! The Lord created us in beauty and dignity and truth. But with sin, that has corrupted.
And we have to accept God’s grace for our sins in order to be at peace.
We were created perfectly in the image and likeness of God. But does that mean we are perfect? Not even sort of.
Matthew 5:48 challenges us to “be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect”. It’s a call to holiness, a call to repentance.
If all was dandy and we were perfect, inherently, we would have NO NEED FOR A SAVIOR.
The core of our faith, the core of Christianity, the core of our lives would be drastically different if Jesus Christ was not the atonement for our sins.
Sin is real. It breaks us down and destroys us. One of Satan’s greatest weapons of this age is using the idea of convincing us that he simply doesn’t exist or isn’t at work.
Satan rips apart the dignity that God gives us and leads us to despair, but he can also work on the opposite side, convincing us that we have little need for forgiveness or Christ. If we believe that we can get along just perfect in life without the saving power of Christ in EVERY MOMENT, we’re being led astray.
Our hearts and our souls NEED Jesus in everything. We’re not perfect, and I think most of us have the humility deep down to know that.
The only thing that will truly bring us peace in our insecurity is trust in God.
Our sins, our mess, our shame is not perfection. We NEED grace, forgiveness, and mercy.
And with that, we begin to decrease, He begins to increase, and the joy of the Christian life begins.
Peace,
Avery
Anonymous asked: Is obesity a sin?
Hey! Great question!
Okay, so I know this could get kind of controversial, so I want to start out by saying that it’s God’s job to judge, not ours.
To start out, what do you mean by obesity? Clinically, it is characterized as being extremely overweight, for men, being 20% over the ideal healthy weight for height and build, and for women, 25%. It also means having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30.
So having a certain BMI or weight is not a sin.
And there’s lots of medical conditions that can contribute to obesity. Thyroid imbalances (Hypothyroidism), Cushing’s syndrome, and depression are just three of many causes. So a medical condition isn’t a sin.
Where the possibility for sin comes in, is if consciously, someone decides to turn away from a healthy lifestyle. The Lord makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 when it is written:
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.Therefore honor God with your body”
Obviously this applies to healthy eating/lifestyles, as well as sexual purity, and the way we act and present ourselves. But where obesity comes in, is that a lot of obesity is caused by unhealthy lifestyles.
Food can become an idol. In this way, it is important to re-think the importance and purpose of food. Food is the nourishment to our bodies, and our bodies are in service to the Lord. So our nourishment should be in service to the Lord.
Overeating can also be gluttony, or over-indulgence, which is one of the 7 deadly sins. This is a form of idolatry.
So am I saying that eating pizza and sitting at home at night on the couch is a sin? Absolutely not.
But I think we are all called to examine the ways in which we treat our bodies, and how that impacts our ability to love and serve the Lord.
So I hope this kind of answered your question :)
Please let me know if there’s anything else you have questions on!
Peace,
Avery
(Note: on the contrary, it’s also possible to have idolatry to the body itself, which is an issue. God is what we are seeking, not an ideal form or figure. Coming from someone who is somewhat of a freak when it comes to nutrition and vegetarianism and pilates and working out and whatnot, I’ve seen so many go down that path too and it is equally dangerous. Our goal is not to have earthly motives, but Heavenly ones! Honoring our bodies and obsessing over them are two different things. )
frankiefantastica asked: I'M MAKING MY FIRST RECONCILIATION ON FRIDAY MORNING, and then I'm getting confirmed on Saturday night!! Would you mind telling me what's going to go on? Thanks!
Frankie, I’m SO EXCITED FOR YOU.
Like we’ve been praying for you all this time, and now you’re FINALLY becoming Catholic! The Lord is so good.
So, first reconciliation. Obviously through RCIA you know what it is, but here’s some stuff to consider:
1. Examine your conscience. This is THE most important step. It’s not fun, really it takes some soul searching, but it is vital.
Check one out here: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/education/ed0415.htm
2. Go to confession.
3. Say, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.”
4. Name off your sins. Start with the mortal ones, and don’t be vague. Tell how many times they were committed. (A lot of times I try to justify why I did something or give the priest the back story….he’s in persona christi, meaning, in the person of Christ. Jesus knows our hearts, so there’s no need for this haha)
5. He’ll ask you to say an Act of Contrition
6. You’ll get a penance.
7. You’ll do the penance.
8. You’re FORGIVEN!
Here’s the thing about confession…it’s kind of nerve wrecking. For me, I feel like all the other sacraments make me feel at peace and like I’m growing in holiness. Confession is just plain uncomfortable. But that’s the beauty. Sin eats us from the inside out. And Christ’s love is what is supposed to be consuming us from the inside out (hence the AMAZING song). So this is the uncomfortable, beautiful, humbling sacrament that allows this.
Then Confirmation.
Again, I think you know like what to do, but I’m SO EXCITED. You’re going to be full-fledged, committed, and 100% Roman Catholic. The Sacrament of Confirmation bestows upon you the gift of the Holy Spirit. It’s powerful, and the maturity that comes with this sacrament shows you what an INCREDIBLE gift it is.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04215b.htm
Confirmation is about becoming an adult in the Catholic faith. Up until then, it’s all about you and your spiritual journey. Confirmation is what takes you from a self-centered (not in a bad way!) faith, to one with the grace to serve others. The grace received here deepens your faith, enabling you to share and serve and Love as He did.
http://www.beginningcatholic.com/confirmation.html
Tell me if you have more questions, and know that we’ll all be praying for you on this beautiful weekend!
Peace,
Avery
(Source: trustingingrace)
