Taking off My Mask
By Heidi (15)
As a young teenage girl, I always struggled with self-image. I constantly compared myself with others. I questioned if I would ever be good enough or ever live up to society's expectations of women. The fear of not being enough started to get to me. I was letting society shape me.
As I continued to compare myself to those around me, I began to develop many insecurities. Seeing so many girls fit the beauty standards on social media tore me down. I would look in the mirror and dislike what I saw. I was never happy with myself. My self-esteem plummeted; I had never felt so worthless. It came to the point where I began to wear a mask to hide the real me. I was so afraid of rejection that I was willing to become someone else just to fit in.
The mask I wore began to hold me back. God had a purpose for me, but I couldn’t see it. When I put on my mask, I acted how my mask dictated that I was supposed to act – not how the real me acted. I didn’t feel I could express my beliefs and morals because of the terrible fear I had of not being accepted. I got so caught up in being what society wanted me to be that I pushed aside God's plan for me.
I finally asked myself a big question, ‘Did people like me or the mask I wore?’ I slowly started to realize that being someone I wasn’t was tearing me apart. I was worrying so much about fitting in and being perfect that I completely forgot what was beneath my mask. It was exhausting hiding my true self from others. I realised that my insecurities and my fear of rejection were getting in the way of God’s wonders. God had so much in store for me – amazing plans and a future.
‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
It took me so long to realise God never made me just to have me go ahead and make myself someone different. His purpose was never for me to be someone else. He sees the beauty in me and loves me for who I am. There is no need for a mask, especially when I have been made in God's perfect image.
I could take the mask off.
Social media can be so damaging because it is not reality. It is a distorted view that limits us to viewing the highlights of people’s lives. It shows all the ups but rarely the downs. It creates an unrealistic standard and can make so many teens believe that in order to feel beautiful, they need to look like the girls on their phones. But beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. We were never meant to be like the other eight billion people on this planet. Everyone is beautiful in their own unique way.
God made me to be me, and He made you to be you. Every little detail about you is beautiful. We are all made in God's perfect image, and God doesn’t make mistakes.
PROMPT: Read Philippians 4:8. We are shaped by what we watch, read, and think about. What is shaping your view of beauty? Does what you follow on social media affirm your worth or devalue it? Does it draw you closer to the Father or away from Him. Ask the Father to reveal to you anything that is sowing seeds of low self-esteem in your life. Are there any changes you need to make? Note them here, then pray for the courage to make whatever changes you need to.
PRAYER: Father, please forgive me for letting the world shape my view of beauty. Everything you have made is beautiful because it is made in Your perfect image, crafted by Your hand. Open my eyes to see the beauty in me, in others, and in the world around me. May my face shine with the beauty of Your love, grace and goodness.
