Some statistics for you, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons:
*In 2008, cosmetic surgery procedures increased 3% from 2007 (despite the economic downturn), a total of 12.1 million cosmetic procedures were performed. 91% of these procedures were females.
*From 2000 to 2008, the use of Botox increased 537%! (94% of Botox being used on women in the year 2008 alone)
*The number of breast augmentations increased 45% from the year 2000 to 2008.
*In 2008, 3% of breast augmentations performed were female patients between the ages of 18 and 19, while 30% were women ages 20-29, 35% were women 30-39, and 28% were women in the age bracket of 40-54.
*The number of tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedures increased 93% from the year 2000 to 2008.
*In 2008, 44% of patients who received cosmetic procedures were repeat patients.
*89% of liposuction procedures done in 2008 were female.
*Breast lifts for women increased 75% from the year 2000-2008, while buttock lifts increased 152% for women patients from 2000 to 2008.
*The top five cosmetic surgeries among women are (in order) breast augmentation (307,000), liposuction (218,000), nose reshaping (204,000), eyelid surgery (190,000), and tummy tuck (117,000).
*The top five cosmetic surgeries among men are (in order) nose reshaping (75,000), eyelid surgery (31,000), liposuction (27,000), breast reduction (18,000), hair transplantation (13,000).
What does this tell us? The screaming overwhelming response I collectively hear is: "I am not enough!"
What these statistics also tell me, is that we - while 91% women and 9% men - find our worth in our ability to attract the opposite sex. In other words, we are letting our sex appeal determine our value, our worth, and letting it define who we are. To some, the concept of having "the perfect" appearance is an addition to the absolute package of having the right job, the right car, the right home, the right girl/guy, it's all impression management.
When I think of the billions of dollars spent ($10,293,431,401 in the year 2008 alone) spent on these procedures, is it any wonder where our idols are? Where we spend our time and our money determines our priorities, what are yours?
This all collectively makes me wonder where this powerful drive to become "enough" or have "the perfect" appearance originally comes from, to which the answer is quite simple: shame. Why are you so ashamed of your appearance that you feel you have to jump through unrealistic hoops? ....all to achieve what for yourself? (because it IS for yourself, whether you realize it or not)
What is shame?
According to www.dictionary.com, shame is:
the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another:
What does God say about shame? The first ever recorded feeling of shame was on the shoulders of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We know this because after God created them and before the act of the Fall, they had no shame.
The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. - Genesis 2:25, NIV
After they ate the fruit, and the trespass on God's holiness had been committed, they became flooded with shame.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. - Genesis 3:7, NIV
....and when God called to Adam, he said....
"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. - Genesis 3:10, NIV
....and then God says to them.......
And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" - Genesis 3:11, NIV (italics added)
You see, the enemy had revealed to them that they were naked. The enemy caused them to feel shame. The question God asks them, "who told you that you were naked?" reveals such Truth about who the author of shame is, about who the author of lies is, and also about who is the destroyer of feeling whole in God. It's Satan.
So the question I submit to you is this, who told you that you need plastic surgery? Who told you that you are overweight? Who told you that you are not enough? Who told you that you need to be perfect according to society? Who told you that you have to drive a luxury car? Who told you that you are not beautiful as you are? Who told you that you have to change your appearance? Who told you that you are not loved? Who told you that you are not holy? Who told you that you need to wear revealing clothes for attention?
It is not God our Father who told you any of that. God says you are beautiful.
The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. - Psalm 45:11, NIV
God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.....
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - Psalm 139:14, NIV
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? - Matthew 6:25, NIV
The good news is, we serve a Father who has grace abounding so deep, we cannot even fathom. He knows our struggles, He knows our temptations, and He is offering grace for looking to anything else except Him for our worth. There is no shame in God our Father. He loves you, unconditionally, regardless of who you are, what you have done, or what your appearance may be. Thankfully, I did not go through with liposuction. I decided to give myself 6 months to think it over, to which I realized jumping through that hoop was not something God was calling me to do (not to mention going $6,000 in debt), it was something the enemy was pushing me to do to find my worth in approval or admiration of other's. You don't have jump through any hoops either. Our worth is in Christ, case closed.
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. - Romans 6:19, NIV
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; - 1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV
Our bodies belong to God, all of ourselves, belong to God. We were bought with a price, the highest price, the sacrifice of the Son of God, came to die for us. I pray that we fully get that! You are precious to Him and to His kingdom. Friends, let's throw off those feelings of not being enough, throw off shame and feelings of imperfection, let's bask in God's grace knowing that we will never have to strive to be something we are not as long as we seek God for our worth and our identity. He knows us better than we know ourselves, thankfully! Jump into His arms and know that you will never have exhaust yourself for acceptance, approval, love, or success, as He so freely gives us love and grace. Choose Him! :-) Praying for you!! You can do this!
<><
Kay
*In 2008, cosmetic surgery procedures increased 3% from 2007 (despite the economic downturn), a total of 12.1 million cosmetic procedures were performed. 91% of these procedures were females.
*From 2000 to 2008, the use of Botox increased 537%! (94% of Botox being used on women in the year 2008 alone)
*The number of breast augmentations increased 45% from the year 2000 to 2008.
*In 2008, 3% of breast augmentations performed were female patients between the ages of 18 and 19, while 30% were women ages 20-29, 35% were women 30-39, and 28% were women in the age bracket of 40-54.
*The number of tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) procedures increased 93% from the year 2000 to 2008.
*In 2008, 44% of patients who received cosmetic procedures were repeat patients.
*89% of liposuction procedures done in 2008 were female.
*Breast lifts for women increased 75% from the year 2000-2008, while buttock lifts increased 152% for women patients from 2000 to 2008.
*The top five cosmetic surgeries among women are (in order) breast augmentation (307,000), liposuction (218,000), nose reshaping (204,000), eyelid surgery (190,000), and tummy tuck (117,000).
*The top five cosmetic surgeries among men are (in order) nose reshaping (75,000), eyelid surgery (31,000), liposuction (27,000), breast reduction (18,000), hair transplantation (13,000).
What does this tell us? The screaming overwhelming response I collectively hear is: "I am not enough!"
What these statistics also tell me, is that we - while 91% women and 9% men - find our worth in our ability to attract the opposite sex. In other words, we are letting our sex appeal determine our value, our worth, and letting it define who we are. To some, the concept of having "the perfect" appearance is an addition to the absolute package of having the right job, the right car, the right home, the right girl/guy, it's all impression management.
When I think of the billions of dollars spent ($10,293,431,401 in the year 2008 alone) spent on these procedures, is it any wonder where our idols are? Where we spend our time and our money determines our priorities, what are yours?
This all collectively makes me wonder where this powerful drive to become "enough" or have "the perfect" appearance originally comes from, to which the answer is quite simple: shame. Why are you so ashamed of your appearance that you feel you have to jump through unrealistic hoops? ....all to achieve what for yourself? (because it IS for yourself, whether you realize it or not)
What is shame?
According to www.dictionary.com, shame is:
the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another:
What does God say about shame? The first ever recorded feeling of shame was on the shoulders of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We know this because after God created them and before the act of the Fall, they had no shame.
The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. - Genesis 2:25, NIV
After they ate the fruit, and the trespass on God's holiness had been committed, they became flooded with shame.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. - Genesis 3:7, NIV
....and when God called to Adam, he said....
"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid. - Genesis 3:10, NIV
....and then God says to them.......
And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" - Genesis 3:11, NIV (italics added)
You see, the enemy had revealed to them that they were naked. The enemy caused them to feel shame. The question God asks them, "who told you that you were naked?" reveals such Truth about who the author of shame is, about who the author of lies is, and also about who is the destroyer of feeling whole in God. It's Satan.
So the question I submit to you is this, who told you that you need plastic surgery? Who told you that you are overweight? Who told you that you are not enough? Who told you that you need to be perfect according to society? Who told you that you have to drive a luxury car? Who told you that you are not beautiful as you are? Who told you that you have to change your appearance? Who told you that you are not loved? Who told you that you are not holy? Who told you that you need to wear revealing clothes for attention?
It is not God our Father who told you any of that. God says you are beautiful.
The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. - Psalm 45:11, NIV
God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.....
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - Psalm 139:14, NIV
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? - Matthew 6:25, NIV
The good news is, we serve a Father who has grace abounding so deep, we cannot even fathom. He knows our struggles, He knows our temptations, and He is offering grace for looking to anything else except Him for our worth. There is no shame in God our Father. He loves you, unconditionally, regardless of who you are, what you have done, or what your appearance may be. Thankfully, I did not go through with liposuction. I decided to give myself 6 months to think it over, to which I realized jumping through that hoop was not something God was calling me to do (not to mention going $6,000 in debt), it was something the enemy was pushing me to do to find my worth in approval or admiration of other's. You don't have jump through any hoops either. Our worth is in Christ, case closed.
I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. - Romans 6:19, NIV
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; - 1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV
Our bodies belong to God, all of ourselves, belong to God. We were bought with a price, the highest price, the sacrifice of the Son of God, came to die for us. I pray that we fully get that! You are precious to Him and to His kingdom. Friends, let's throw off those feelings of not being enough, throw off shame and feelings of imperfection, let's bask in God's grace knowing that we will never have to strive to be something we are not as long as we seek God for our worth and our identity. He knows us better than we know ourselves, thankfully! Jump into His arms and know that you will never have exhaust yourself for acceptance, approval, love, or success, as He so freely gives us love and grace. Choose Him! :-) Praying for you!! You can do this!
<><
Kay
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