Self-confidence is the best outfit, rock it and own it.
I don’t think I really understood how important it is for a woman (and even a man) to have self-confidence until I lived in Uganda. As a 21-year-old from the States, the majority of women here wear make-up, fancy clothing and style their hair nearly every day. Everybody owns at least one mirror, and if they don’t they have a front camera to check to see if they look “presentable” according to society’s rules and restrictions.
In Uganda, we had two mirrors total: one in the bathroom and one in our room that 6 girls shared together. I rarely used either of them. The only time I was looking in a mirror was to check out my sweet sunburns or to make sure my braids were even for church on Sundays. I wore long skirts, sports bras and shirts that covered “a lot” in American terms. I never wore make-up and my hair was normally in a bun because I only washed my hair every three days. I wore chacos or jandals, every day. Nothing fancy. I never looked the way society would have told me what “beautiful” looks like but I felt beautiful.
SO INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.
The truth is we sang a song, nearly every morning and sometimes evenings at devotions, called I Know Who I am by Sinach. LISTEN TO IT. That’s where everything turned around for me.
I know who God says I am
What He says I am
Where He says I’m at
I know who I am
I’m walking in power
I’m working miracles
I live a life of favor
For I know who I am
I am holy
I am righteous oh…
I am so rich
I am beautiful
I have been singing these lyrics over my life the past three months now and let me tell you, my confidence in the Lord has been changed forever. I don’t need make-up to be beautiful, I don’t need expensive clothes to have friends, and I don’t need to do my hair to get a boy’s attention. I ONLY NEED JESUS. I know who God says I am:
- I am beautiful. (Psalms 139:14)
- I am loved. (John 3:16)
- I am powerful. (Isaiah 40:29)
- I am worthy. (Proverbs 31:10)
- I am cared for. (1 Peter 5:8)
- I am forgiven. (1 John 1:9)
- I am made new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Self-confidence starts with realizing what the Lord says about you and finding your worth in Him. Self-confidence is knowing that He hears your cries and He also hears your praises. Self-confidence is believing that He cares for your desires and He loves you so much He gives you what’s best for you. Self-confidence is walking with Christ in a way that you stand tall, believe in yourself, speak truthfully, and love endlessly. Self-confidence starts and ends with Jesus.
So here’s a letter from your sister:
You are more than the pimples on your face or the extra pounds around your waist. You are more than the price tag on your clothes or the number of shoes in your closet. You are more than the negative words those boys or girls are speaking about you. You are more than the worries of the future or the shame of the past. You are more than the grades you are making in school or the amount of money you make at work. You are more than the mistakes you’ve made or the problems you create. You are so much more than all of this.
You are BEAUTIFUL. You are HANDSOME. You are LOVED. You are POWERFUL. You are WORTHY. You are CARED FOR. You are FORGIVEN. You are PRICELESS. You are REMADE.
Our Father sent His one and only son to die for you. Did you read that? Let that sink in, HE DIED FOR YOU.
YES, YOU.
God thought YOU were worthy to be saved.
So my encouragement for you, brothers and sisters, is this: Stand tall in your confidence found in the Lord, be bold in your confidence found in the Lord, and have courage in your confidence found in the Lord.
I love you. God loves you. Rest in this and keep on walking in confidence.