Have a Comparison-Free Summer: 5-Day Plan to Beat Body EnvyEsimerkki

Most women are discontent with how they look in a swimsuit. Let that sink in for a moment.

Can you believe it? Or are you mentally listing the women you know who seem to have the right shape to love this season?

But search Google, and you’ll find that even swimsuit models struggle with body image.

When we believe our bodies are the most valuable thing we have to offer, we focus on them even more. The harder we focus, the more pressure we feel. The more pressure we feel, the more obsessive we become over food, exercise, and appearance.

But getting a ‘better body’ isn’t the solution that frees us from summer body image issues. Instead, it could make them worse.

Studies prove this. Women who lose significant amounts of weight report being more body obsessed after weight loss than before. The compliments that come initially slow down while the focus on “fixing” other body parts amps up. You believed weight loss would solve it, but meet your goal and feel no change.

"Maybe I need to lose a little more," You muse. Then, your worry turns to the extra skin, now deflated breasts, or wrinkles that must be fixed before you can feel beach ready.

I promise it’s never enough.

Even if you feel fantastic for a season, confidence derived from your physical appearance never lasts. Instead, beauty and body image quickly become idols that beckon us to bow.

The beauty idol says: If you ever want to enjoy life, look more like her. While the body image idol sneers: Enjoying summer is a privilege reserved for those who wear a smaller size than you!

Idols lie. They keep us chasing their false promises of rest, peace, and joy. But they never deliver. Their ploy traps us in envy, bogged down by feelings of inferiority. Even if you’re pursuing better health, there’s nothing spiritually healthy about that!

The Bible tells a different story. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Jesus beckons us to come to him for rest. He encourages us not to put our treasure in earthly things. No matter how “perfect” we get our bodies, they’re only temporary. (Hello, aging! Even Proverbs tells us beauty fades.)

Having a spiritually, mentally, and physically healthy approach to our bodies this summer requires us to believe the messages of the Word instead of those of the world.