Plan Info
From Depression to Finding Godâs JoySample
![From Depression to Finding Godâs Joy](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fyvplans%2F30588%2F1280x720.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Longing for Beauty
When I was on American Idol, judge Simon Cowell made fun of my weight. His comment hurt me deeply because my weight has been a source of shame throughout my life. Shortly after American Idol, I declared, through my song âTrue Beauty,â that my outward appearance, including my size, doesnât dictate my value. God cares more about whatâs on the inside because He intricately designed who I am. Thatâs easy to say (and sing) â itâs harder to believe.
When it comes to my feelings on beauty, letâs say ... itâs complicated. When I was 16, I was raped. As the awful incident unfolded, my aggressor kept telling me how beautiful I was. From that day on, I subconsciously associated outward beauty with danger. At school and on national television, comments about my weight convinced me I wasnât beautiful.
Iâve struggled with feeling like thereâs something wrong with outward beauty or wanting to look beautiful. I used to equate beauty with vanity. But Iâve come to realize that God has designed beautiful things! Sunsets. Oceans. Flowers. Faces. So many things in this world are truly amazing to look at. God created us to enjoy beautiful things and people, and beauty has a purpose.
God is the Great designer of beauty â both inward and outward. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God tells Samuel, âThe Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.â I used to read those words and think they meant that physical beauty didnât matter. But that same chapter points out several times that David was indeed a hottie (see 1 Samuel 16:12, 18).
When King Saul was being troubled by a tormenting spirit, being easy on the eyes helped David land a coveted position playing music for him. But David was more than outwardly appealing. The fact that God called him a âman after my own heartâ suggests that David had a beauty of mind, spirit, and character that God delighted in. As Iâve grown in my relationship with God, Iâve realized that beauty is good because God creates it. Still, that unfading, true beauty that 1 Peter 3:3-4 talks about shines from the inside out and is most precious to God.
Getting Real
- Is your sense of value tied to beauty?
- How would adopting Godâs perspective of beauty help you live out your purpose?
About this Plan
![From Depression to Finding Godâs Joy](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Fyvplans%2F30588%2F1280x720.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
If youâve ever found yourself in darkness due to grief, depression, or loss, Mandisaâs words will reassure you that even when youâre walking through dark valleys, God will lead you on a path to joy and hope. This plan wi...
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