I love how sometimes God shows me how foolish I am and sets me free from some long-ingrained wrong thinking.

I was sitting in church the other day during worship when I looked down at my legs.  My thighs are on the short side, and somehow the pants I was wearing made them look wider than usual.  In my mind, there was a clearly circumscribed oval outlining them, and a moment later I could distinctly see in my mind’s eye the oval that represented the shape that they “should” be, about 4 inches longer and 3 inches narrower.  It would be time to stand up in a minute, and I knew I would be self conscious because of my thighs being the wrong shape, and that would negatively impact my ability to relate to the people around me.  Abruptly I acknowledged, “That’s silly!”  And suddenly, something that had plagued me for decades didn’t seem to matter any more.

Interestingly, the sermon that followed was about confidence – having confidence in God.  “We are invited to live a life of being always confident, and yet we live in a world where there’s so much insecurity…”*  The pastor’s words confirmed that I shouldn’t be insecure about my own “imperfections.”  I realized that morning how much I don’t want to let some abstract ideal of physical features define how I think about myself or anyone else.  I want to affirm and celebrate everyone I see exactly as they are.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:14

*http://menlo.church/sermon/the-confidence-paradox-the-blessing-scott-scruggs/