By Staci Dennis // Biblical Wisdom // EEW Magazine Online

It’s exhausting attempting to adhere to manmade standards and trying to live up to the world’s expectations of what you should do, have, and be.

Even so, millions of women just like you – that know they are loved and accepted by God – still occasionally fall down the rabbithole of comparing, conforming, and then contorting themselves into some unrealistic version of perfection.

If you feel drawn in by the allure of man’s approval or are stuck in a people-pleasing cycle you can’t seem to get out of, EEW Magazine Online is reminding you of who you really are.

Here are 5 things God says about you that’ll make you say, child, who cares what the world says?

#1 – God says, “I care what’s inside, not outside.”

Fashion magazines, beauty influencers, and social media will have you hating—and trying to “fix”—everything about your body. But God wants you to know that He focuses on your inner beauty, which, at the end of the day, is most important. “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

#2 – God says, “I have an incredible purpose and plan for you.”

Boasting about wealth, possessions, and boss moves is so common these days. If you don’t fit in a certain tax bracket or haven’t reached specific milestones in your career, business, or other endeavors, you might feel small and insignificant. God, however, has more, greater, and better for you—even if you don’t see it yet. “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)

#3 – God says, “You may be quiet, but you have My attention.”

You don’t have to be the loudest one in the room to the be the center of attention—at least not in God’s Kingdom. Though you may feel lost in the sauce when you choose to remain lowkey, move in silence, and take the humble route, God sees you and honors you. Don’t ever feel like you must compete for attention; you already have God’s attention. “…but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4)

 #4 – God says, “I have already made you beautiful.”

Though God is most concerned with the condition of your heart, that doesn’t mean He has not crafted you into a beautiful creation. You, dear one, are a work of art, beautified by the Creator Himself. Refuse to let the world’s convoluted beauty standards cloud your view of yourself. See yourself through God’s lens. “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” (Isaiah 62:3)

#5 – God says, “I will bring you from the back to the front.”

Left behind, pushed aside, and overlooked: these may be accurate descriptions of how you’re made to feel sometimes. However, they are inaccurate depictions of God’s thoughts and intentions toward you. He loves choosing the ones others dismiss to get the most glory. He says, He will pull you from the back and push you to the forefront. “God will make you the head, not the tail; you’ll always be the top dog, never the underdog, as you obediently listen to and diligently keep the commands of God…” (Deuteronomy 28:13)

When the voices of the world get loud, tune your ears to the only voice that matters. Let God speak to you through His word.

Who cares what the world says? God’s word has the final say!