“I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

One morning as I was gazing into the mirror to “put on my face” for the day, I heard the Lord whisper to my heart, “Why do you spend more time ‘putting on your face’ than you spend on your face before me each morning?” Oh my goodness - what a powerful question!

My heart sank as I put the cosmetics away and went to my quiet place to spend time with Jesus. I had to confess out loud, “Lord, You are right. I have been spending more time gazing in the mirror than praying or gazing into Your Word and Your face.” Once again, I was living like the old person I was before receiving Christ and not the new person I had been transformed into. Once again, I had allowed my desire for outer beauty to take priority over my inner beauty.

Now don’t misunderstand me here; I’m not suggesting it’s necessary to put away my cosmetics forever and go through life looking frumpy. Honey, that is not likely to happen. I haven’t left the house without a little lip gloss and mascara since I was sixteen! But I need some balance. Maintaining balance is only possible if I remember to keep my priorities in the right order - prayer before primping.

I have to remember that as a believer, Christ has moved in and dwells within my heart and within my life. As I allow this relationship to grow, my life will demonstrate His presence and others will see past my make-up to the make up of my heart. Proverbs 31:30 is the perfect reminder of this fact, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting: but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” (NIV)

If you share my struggle of balancing the quest for outer vs. inner beauty, I want to encourage you to join me in memorizing four little words: “Pray before you primp.” I’ve put these words on my mirror as a daily reminder to keep Christ first.

Remember friends, while the temptation to consider outer beauty more important than inner beauty is ever-present in our culture; those who believe in Christ can be delivered from it. Because Christ lives in every believer, we have hope of overcoming our unhealthy obsessions. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live life in proper balance.

I invite you to join me as we get “on our face before we put on our face”. As we pray and gaze into His Word to seek Him first, we will experience a change from the inside out and our lives will become a beautiful reflection of His presence.

Dear Lord, forgive me for making outer beauty more important than inner beauty. Refresh and restore my desire to gaze into Your word and into Your face. I want my life to reflect Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

***

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Beautiful in God’s Eyes by Elizabeth George

Authentic Beauty: The Shaping of a Set Apart Young Woman by Leslie Ludy

Visit Zoe Elmore’s blog

Application Steps:

Seek God’s face before you put on your face.

Print out the words “Pray before you Primp” and put them on your mirror.

Reflections:

Examine your inner beauty. Is it weak and lacking, or is it a strong reflection of Christ?

What has God stirred in your heart from reading this devotion and what will you do in response?

Power Verses:

Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (NIV)

Joshua 24:15, “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (NIV)

I John 2:5-6, “But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Zoe Elmore. All rights reserved.