The Set Apart Girl has Inner Beauty

Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

I Peter 3:3-3

Have you seen Rihanna on the cover of that new magazine? Did you see the Victoria's Secret fashion show? I absolutely have to have that new shade of Cover Girl lipstick!

As women, we love to look beautiful, and  feel pretty - and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! God created women to be beautiful, delicate, and special in so many ways. The bible speaks about many "beautiful women." In fact, I encourage pampering yourself as much as you feel you need it. 

Daily, we spend time and effort in looking beautiful for ourselves and others. Day in and day out, we critique ourselves and others on the way we look. It is true that when you leave your house, you should take time to make sure you look neat a presentable. However, the problem that the girls of the world face is that they focus all of their time, energy, and money on becoming false image of "beautiful". They loose sight of who God says they are, and begin to become blinded by vanity, ego, and self-admiration. There is no sin in looking classy, fabulous, and glamorous. However, conceitedness, narcissism, and self-worship, are sin. Girls of this world put the love of "self" before their love of God.

When I was in high school, I wore long hair extensions because I felt having long hair made me feel pretty. I spent hundreds of dollars each month to make sure my hair was beautiful, so that I felt beautiful. During one of my routine styling appointments, I removed the extensions and had my natural hair washed. After my natural hair was blow dried and styled, I looked in the mirror. Instantly, I burst into tears. I hated the way I looked. My own hair wasn't good enough, and I did not feel beautiful at all. I went home, and added more extensions to my hair.

The problem was not the hair extensions. The problem was not what other people thought of me. The problem I had was loving myself for who God made me to be. I had fallen so in love with this "false appearance" of myself that I could not even look at myself in the mirror without crying. I had been blinded by vanity. 

God does not want you to have an experience like I had. He wants you to love His creation (you) whether you have on a full face of makeup, or just woke up and hopped out of bed. The Set Apart girl realizes that her beauty comes from within. The bible tells us that "People judge by outward appearance, but God looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). God sees you just as you are. He loves that you are a kind, and giving person. God loves that you are good with kids and that you pray for others. Those are qualities that make you beautiful to God. He created you and every beautiful feature on your body. Start seeing yourself as God sees you. Love yourself for who God created you to be. Your smile, your personality, your sense of humor, are all things that make you who you are. Don't hold back, and don't be afraid to stand out. Be you, and shine from the outside in. 

Think about it...

Why do you think God created you the way you are? What can you do that no one else can do? 

Focus Scriptures:

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

Proverbs 31:30

A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.

Proverbs 11:16

Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life.

Proverbs 22:24

There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!

Proverbs 29:31

November Study: The Set Apart Girl

Do you know that you are special to God? Do you know that He created you for a special purpose, to make a difference in this world? You are hand-picked and loved by the Almighty God. He chose you, and wrote your story before you were even formed in your mother's womb. God spoke to Jeremiah and told him,

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations."

Jeremiah 1:5

Just like Jeremiah, God has a special plan for your life. You may not be a prophet like Jeremiah, but you have been chosen by God to leave your mark on this world, to make a difference, and to bring glory to God. Because you are so special, our enemy (the devil) is jealous and does not want you to fulfill your purpose, or receive all that God has for you here on earth. So what does the devil do? He puts in front of us enticing distractions and feel-good sins of this world, to keep us focused on everything but God. The devil tries to deceive us with the things of the world to keep us from the promises of God. When you decide to become"set apart" for God's use, He can move and flow through you everyday of your life to fulfill the perfect plan He has for you. 

The Set Apart Girl is a girl who is after God's purpose for her life. She sets herself apart from the things of this world and stays focused on the things of God. What is the difference between a girl of this world and a set-apart girl? Stay tuned as we search the scriptures and learn to distinguish the differences from a worldly woman, and a virtuous woman.

Scriptures about Being Set Apart:

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9

For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Deuteronomy 7:6

The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

John 15:19

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

I John 2:15

Love Notes from God: Day 2

Love Notes from God:

You Are Mine

There are over 8 billion people on this earth, and thousands more being born every day. And guess what? Each and every single one of us are special to God. He knew each one of us before the foundation of this world. He knew you before your parents met. He know everything about your past, present, and future. God is not just some mighty ruler who looks down at earth and sees a bunch of nameless people running around. He knows each one of us by name. He knows what we like, he knows our fears, and he even knows our wildest dreams. God knows our troubles and our happiness. He made each one of us special, and he wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. He is our Heavenly Father and we belong to Him.

Isaiah 43:1

But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

Write out Isaiah 43:1, replacing "O Jacob" and "O Israel" with your name. How does your understanding of this verse change when you understand that God is talking directly to you?