It is natural to want to look and feel beautiful. It’s a healthy desire to take care of your outward appearance and to present yourself attractive to the world around you . After all your outer beauty is the first impression you give to others.
However, when you allow your physical beauty to define you and consume your thoughts and actions, this passion to be beautiful becomes an unhealthy desire.
Although God understands your devotion to your physical appearance, He wants you to pursue His standards of beauty.
God cares more about your inner beauty than your outer beauty. In His eyes, true beauty comes when you reflect Him.
1 Peter 3:3-5 says the following: “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. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands.”
From this Scripture we can gather that God’s definition of true, unfading beauty is found in a “gentle and quiet spirit.”
So, how do we know if we have a gentle and quiet spirit? What does inner beauty that is so precious to God look like?
I believe that this true beauty is seen in a man or woman who is fully abandoned to Jesus Christ (Tweet this). Their hearts are so committed to Jesus that they radiate of His love.
True beauty is when a person loves and accepts themselves just the way they were created.
True beauty is having an inner peace because you have full confidence in how much God loves you.
It’s when you can see yourself from God’s perspective. When you know how much God loves you, you glow because of the security you have in His love.
You live by the Spirit more than in your flesh.
You have a deep trust in God, trusting Him through all circumstances. 
You have a heart that wants to please God.
You genuinely love and treat others with kindness and mercy.
True beauty is seen in a person that is a good listener, chooses their words carefully and is slow to get angry (James 1:19).
Our actions reflect what is in our hearts. If we are living according to God’s Word it will show in all areas of our lives.
True beauty is Jesus in you.
It is in the depths of your heart that lasting beauty lays. Isn’t it a comfort to know that God can see your heart? You don’t have to be perfect, but simply have to nurture a passion for Him and for the things that matter to Him. When you seek Jesus with all your heart (spending time in His Word, prayer, service for Him) it will show because you will shine His light beautifully.
If you make spending time in God’s presence your priority, the natural outflow will be a gentle and quiet spirit that is so precious to God. I encourage you to have a passion for this type of imperishable beauty more than focusing on your outward beauty.
Leave me a comment below on what you are doing to make sure that you are cultivating the kind of beauty that matters more to God.
“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.
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Very well written my beautiful sister! You are a great example of both outward and inward beauty that radiates God’s love! Thanks for these good reminders!
Dear Sherry-Thank you for your kind words. YOU are an example of genuine beauty. You literally have a glow about you. It’s very attractive. I’m so grateful for Jesus. He has truly touched me and changed my concept of beauty. It’s an honor and a blessing to be able to share with others what I have learned about true beauty. Love you sis~
Beautifully written Tweeny! There were several key points that stood out to me. One was live by the Spirit more than in the flesh. Another one I’m going to put into practice is James 1:19. A gentle & quiet spirit that is precious to Jesus seems different from what our culture values. Thank you for reminding us to look to God and not to man/ woman for our worth and security. YOU are such a blessing to all who read this.
Elizabeth,
Thank you SO much for your encouragement. I am so grateful that my words spoke to your heart. It’s so easy to look to man for our affirmations/worth/security when it is Jesus that we need to go to. Before I knew Him I was always looking for others to define me and I use to spend a lot of time on my outer beauty. I think this is very common. I love being able to share with others what Jesus has taught me about what true beauty means. I appreciate your feedback here. Lord bless you~
Tweeted a comment from your blog. Thanks for quoting 1 Peter 3:3-5. It is full of great advice. As I get older and older, I see how fleeting outward beauty is and how lasting inner beauty is. It’s certainly worth investing our time, money, and energies into lasting beauty.
Thanks Arlene. I agree with you that the older we get the more we begin to redefine what true beauty is. Investing our time, money, and energy into lasting beauty is actually what God finds precious too.Thanks for commenting. Blessings~
Thank you so much Tweeny!
🙂
What a great comfort to know how the Lord looks at beauty. Thank you again.
Thank you my dear friend. Your support and encouragement is greatly appreciated. Love you~