By: Rachel Brown
Though we’re a few months into the summer season already, there’s still plenty of time for fun summery activities—weekends at the lake, afternoons at the pool, evenings spent hosting backyard barbecues. Throughout all of this goodness, it’s easier than we’d like to admit for body image worries to infiltrate our minds. While we know that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made, sometimes it’s tempting to give into negative thoughts regarding our beautiful bodies, especially when we’re spending most of our days in swimsuits and shorts.
When it comes to worrying, we love turning to Matthew 6:25-27 and 33-34 for perspective and comfort:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?…But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
These verses provide so much encouragement as we ponder how to handle our worries and woes. The last sentence is particularly striking: Each day has enough trouble of its own. God has made our bodies intentionally, crafting us from His own fibers and creating us in His very image. Instead of worrying about aspects of our bodies, let’s turn our focus toward gratitude, expressing thanks for the beautiful, strong, healthy ways that God has created us.
For the rest of the summer, take time out to notice the ways that your body is strong and healthy. When you’re out for a hike or a bike ride, express gratitude for strong muscles that carry you along on fun outdoor adventures. When you’re near a body of water or watching a beautiful sunset, reflect on all the goodness that God has made, including the goodness that’s in you. When you’re sharing a delicious meal with family and friends, practice gratitude for wholesome foods, a healthy appetite, and time with a community of people you love. By focusing on gratitude, we stop worrying, allowing us to realize how much there is to be grateful for and how intentionally God designed our bodies.
Photo Cred: Bruno Gomiero
Rachel is the Director of Development for Touch A Life, an organization committed to the rescue and rehabilitation of children who have been exploited and trafficked in West Africa and Southeast Asia. Though she loves working in the non-profit world, Rachel has always been passionate about writing, pursuing opportunities to put pen to paper outside of her day job. Aside from writing for Darling Magazine, she maintains a personal blog, Coffee & Tacos, where she connects with others through food, travel, faith & community. Rachel lives in Dallas, TX, with her husband, their adorably large English mastiff, and a new baby girl, Ruby.
