I’ve always been self-conscious about every single aspect of myself.
If I had a slight spot on my forehead or if I had a cut on my face I would feel as if everyone saw it, as if it was as noticeable to everyone else as it was to me.
Whenever I didn’t feel up to standard, I’d be shy and quiet and not talk to anyone, which impacted so many relationships that I had, and I hated it.
Last summer I contracted impetigo on my face, chest and arms.
Impetigo is a red rash that looks like acne but larger. A large portion of my chin and my cheeks, as well as my forehead was covered with this, and I hated it.
I felt so self-conscious, and I didn’t want to go anywhere because I was afraid of what other people would think. But hiding away in my house until this went away wasn’t an option. I still had to go to work and to church and function normally.
God really surprised me through this in that no one treated me any differently.
I got lots of questions from people asking if I was okay, but no one refused to work with me, no one laughed, no one treated me as if I was a freak.
I had been basing my worth on what I looked like, and it took a skin infection for God to truly make me realize that I am worth more than what I look like.
God wants to use me despite my looks, and God wants to use me fully. Every time that I am afraid of doing something because of how I will look, I am limiting God in my life.
My worth is based in God, not my looks.
I spent two months of my life looking very contagious, and those two months have made me more confident in what God can use me for.
I was able to minister to people and share the gospel, even when I didn’t look my best, and when God was using me, what I looked like was the farthest thing on my mind right then.
God wants to use you too, in ways that will push you further from your comfort zone than you can imagine. But God can’t use you if you’re afraid of what you look like.
You are meant to look like Jesus and you can’t if you still hold onto your own image.
So the next time you wake up with a pimple, or you feel self-conscious about anything, just remember, the God that we have is bigger than any of that.
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This is great Lianne! I’ve gone through this too, but in a lesser manner. I just have acne, but the occasional large pimple makes me very uncomfortable. I heard a quote that said, “People don’t think about you as much as you think they do.” I guess that can apply to this type of situation. 🙂 Good article on a topic that a lot of teens struggle with. Thanks.
Sam nailed it. I don’t specifically struggle with what you addressed in this article, but what I see here is that God looks at us very differently from how we look at us. If we could see ourselves from God’s point of view, we would see a very different picture from what we imagine ourselves. If we know that God made us exactly how He wanted to make a beautiful creation in His own image, it might change our feelings about ourselves. 🙂 Just a thought!
Thanks for sharing your story, Lianne! Growing up, I had extremely severe acne, yet one thing I have discovered is this. If your face radiates joy and there is a smile on your face, people will not be concentrating on all your “imperfections” but rather marvel at your joyful countenance and may even wonder what makes you shine so beautifully. A joyful and tender heart reflects on your face and that is what will shine through more than any imperfections.
Also, I love your name! I might have to store that name away with all my other “possible-names-for-my-future-children” box. 🙂
Nice quote.
“You are meant to look like Jesus and you can’t if you still hold onto your own image.” WOW!! Thanks so much for sharing Lianne. Keep on keepin’ on sista!!!
I really like that quote and it’s so true. Thanks for the feedback
Aww haha thank you. And what you said is so true- people really do see the joy inside of you. 🙂
That really is true. I think one of the hardest things is trying to see ourselves, and also others in a way that is similar to how God sees us. After all, we are created in His own image. 🙂
Thank you so much for this Lianne! I actually got impetigo last summer too and it affected how I lived while I had it. I got it on my legs so I wore pants and jeans instead of shorts in 90 degree weather and tried to avoid leaving the house. I really hated it. This post really means a lot to me so thank you again!
People are almost always harsher on their own appearance than others. I know I am.
At the same time, people don’t treat you any differently based on you look – in general.
In the end, it doesn’t matter much anyway. We all get old and die. This life – much less youth – is fleeting compared to the expanse of eternity.
Thanks for this post, Lianne! I struggle with acne and can get very self conscious about how I look so it was a great reminder for me!
Thanks Gabrielle!
Thanks Lianne!
I’m glad that you could relate to the struggle that I had, and I really hope that you can see the truth in this. 🙂
Exactly- everything that we worry about in this life is so small when we look at eternity. It really puts it into persepective.
The beauty of the statement in your title is that it applies equally to those who are vain and those who are embarrassed. In either case, worth and appearance are about as unconnected as integrity and toenail-size.
Thanks for writing!
This was BEAUTIFUL Lianne!!! So true!!! Thank you for sharing!!! “My worth is based in God, not my looks.” I LOVE that!!!
Lianne, it’s such a beautiful idea! Thanks for sharing this amazing truth with us!
I’m the same way, I care way to much about what other people say and think.