Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you long to be beautiful?
Isaiah 53:2 gives us a striking description of Jesus Christ: “For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.“
Think about this for a moment. The King of Kings, the Son of the Living God, did not rely on physical beauty to fulfill His purpose on earth. He was not described as striking or attractive, yet multitudes followed Him. They were drawn not by His looks but by the glory of God upon Him.
If Jesus Himself was not defined by outward beauty, why do we place so much weight on it?
Is Physical Beauty the One Thing You Lack to Fulfill Destiny?
For some reason, many, especially women, have allowed their perceived lack of beauty to hold them back from stepping into their calling. They hesitate to take up roles, show up confidently, or even believe in their own worth simply because they do not think they look the part.
For some, dissatisfaction with their appearance started as early as childhood from the moment they recognized their own reflection in the mirror. Can we blame them? I understand this struggle personally. I grew up constantly hearing how ugly I was. It affected me so deeply that for the longest time, I could not even bring myself to look in a mirror. I would wake up, get dressed from head to toe, and step out without once checking my reflection. The thought of seeing myself and being disappointed was too terrifying.
I think I only started looking into mirrors during my first year at university. By then, I had transitioned from wearing a low-cut hairstyle throughout my secondary school years to becoming a young woman who had to learn how to manage her hair.
If you have ever been to a salon, you know that mirrors are everywhere. In front, behind, to the sides, tiny handheld ones. The entire space is designed for you to look at yourself. It was overwhelming. I could not escape my own reflection. The discomfort became so intense that I eventually stopped going to the salon altogether.
But it was not just about the mirror. It was the fear of what I might see. No hairstyle ever seemed to look right to me. No matter how many compliments I received, I struggled to believe them. I thought people were simply ‘whinning’ (flattering) me.
The World’s Endless Chase for Beauty
We live in a world that has glorified physical beauty to the point that some have lost their lives in its pursuit. Beauty products, plastic surgeries, and enhancements have become a booming industry, yet despite all these efforts, many still feel they have not attained their idea of beauty. Many people have sacrificed relationships, self-worth, and even their health in the vain pursuit of an unattainable standard.
Some spend their whole lives trying to fix something about their looks, thinking that once they achieve a certain standard, they will finally be satisfied. But they never are. They move from one insecurity to another, always looking for the next thing to improve.
The saddest part is that beauty is fleeting. No matter how much we try, we cannot stop the natural course of life. We all must age and wrinkles will come. Proverbs 31:30 says Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the Lord, shall be praised.
The more people chase after beauty, the more they realize it never truly satisfies. You hit one level, and for a moment, it feels good. But then, almost immediately, there is another standard, another expectation, another flaw to fix. So you keep going, another product, another procedure, another filter, thinking, “Maybe this time, I will feel complete.” But it never works. Instead, it leaves you emptier than before.
Some get trapped in a cycle, always feeling like they are almost there, but never quite enough. Others reach a point where they hardly recognize themselves anymore, yet they still do not feel beautiful. And for some, the disappointment runs so deep that they begin to resent their own reflection.
Ecclesiastes 1:14 says: “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” No amount of outward beauty can fill an empty heart.
The more we search for it outside of God, the more lost we become. Because at the end of the day, the peace we are looking for has never been in the mirror. It has always been in Him.
The Truth About Beauty
I have come to realize that nothing we see in ourselves can make us feel beautiful for the rest of our lives.
Even the most physically attractive people struggle with insecurity. Because beauty, as defined by the world, is an unstable foundation for self-worth. A person who has not learned to derive satisfaction from God will never find it in their appearance.
Jesus Christ did not fit the world’s beauty standards, yet He drew men to Himself. His advantage was not His face. His advantage was that the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Him. (Isaiah 61:1).
What Really Makes a Person Attractive?
Have you ever noticed that some of the people you admire most are not necessarily the most conventionally beautiful? Yet something about them captivates you. Most times, it is not their face. It is their character, their kindness, their wisdom, their confidence in God.
There is a kind of beauty that is deeper than outward appearance. It is the kind that does not fade but grows stronger with time. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says “Do not let your adorning be external, the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing. Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
The world chases a beauty that fades. But those who focus on their inner man, their spirit, wisdom, the anointing of God, carry an attraction that never diminishes.
Better Advantages Than Beauty
While being physically beautiful offers some benefits in this world, there are far greater advantages that never fade.
- Favor (Esther 2:17) – The king loved Esther not just because of her beauty but because of the divine favor she carried.
- Honor (Proverbs 3:16) – True honor comes from wisdom and righteousness, not appearance.
- Anointing (1 Samuel 16:7) – God does not look at outward appearance but at the heart. David, the shepherd boy, was chosen because of his heart, not his looks.
- Wisdom (Proverbs 4:7) – It is wisdom, not beauty, that sustains relationships, builds legacy, and secures destiny.
These qualities make a person relevant in every season of life. A person who carries them remains evergreen, radiant, confident, and deeply attractive. Not because of his face, but because of who he is in God.
Honestly, the kind of beauty that truly satisfies and lasts is not about wearing the finest clothes. After all, David was not known for his fashion. It is not about makeup either. Think about the women who stood before King Ahasuerus alongside Esther. They were given the best beauty treatments, the finest oils, and the most exquisite fragrances, yet only one of them was chosen, Esther.
The Beauty That Never Fades
One thing I have come to understand is that the person who truly stands out is not the one who checks all the boxes of human beauty standards. It is the one who carries the undeniable glory of God. That kind of beauty never fades. It comes from being deeply rooted in Christ’s love and fully embracing who we are in Him.
This beauty is not something we can paint on or dress up in. It is something that shines from within as we behold Him. He is the one and only perfect mirror we must stand before every single day. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says: but we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Instead of chasing a kind of beauty that disappears the moment we look away from the mirror (James 1:23-24), why not pursue the kind that stands the test of time? So today, as you stand before your mirror, ask yourself, what kind of beauty am I truly pursuing?.
