🌷These tulips were a gift from my Mum last week. They’ve sat looking beautiful in my kitchen, and I’ve admired the lovely colour and slightly frayed edge to the petals. They’re getting older now and the colour is fading, but when I bent closer and looked inside I saw an amazing display of colour. It’s not obvious from the outside, they’re starting to look a bit tired. But now they are more open they are showing their hidden beauty.

🌷This gave me hope this week. I can easily feel so negative about myself. My lack of confidence, my insecurities, my failings, my body, my fears, my habits. I foolishly spend time wondering and worrying what people see when they look. And what my role is and what I’m achieving. And wishing I was stronger, better, nicer, more, more, more…

🌷And I was reminded that my beauty may not be visible. Some people will never want to know me well enough to find out who I actually am. Or they will see my frayed edges and fading colour and reject me. But the One who designed me before I existed (Psalm 139), crafted me (Eph 2:10), and knows me (Psalm 103), He doesn’t look at the outside, He sees my heart (1 Sam 16:7). He chooses not to focus on my weaknesses, because He is my strength (2 Cor 12:9,10). He forgives my worst moments and chooses to forget my failings (Heb 8:12). He loves me (John 3:16, 1 John 3:16).

🌷And boy this is freeing! I can walk with my head held high and my eyes lifted up to the only opinion that matters. The One who not only looks inside at the secret beauty, but was the One who designed my own individual colours to be what those He put near me need to see.

🌷And it’s true for you too-whatever kind of week you’re having, however you feel about yourself, know that you are loved, seen, and worth dying for.

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