Fight the Lies

“I’m not beautiful! I’m fat! Even though I exercise, I’m still getting fatter! Skinny is pretty, not fat! I want to be skinny and beautiful like my friends. I’m not pretty at all!”

If you’ve been with me at all, you know I struggle with my weight and self image and worthiness and you may be thinking those are my thoughts up there.

But no…

Those are the words my nine-year-old cried out to me three nights ago. My beautiful, athletic, not fat at all, perfect little girl.

I was crushed. Where did this come from? Did I do this? Has she heard me say these things? Has she felt these emotions from me? Has someone said something to her? Youtube? TV? What? Where??

A few things became abundantly clear.

1. I need to get myself in check. I’m pretty careful about saying things like “I want to get healthy” rather than I want to lose weight but I need to change my mindset as well. I will NOT pass this on to my daughter!!!
2. I need to have more conversations with my kiddo, although at the time, I wasn’t sure exactly how to go about it.

The night this happened, she was exhausted and there was no way to even talk about it. She went to sleep and I let the conversation rest. I didn’t bring it up until last night. What happened, was pretty amazing and the whole reason I’m sharing today.

Me: Punky, do you think you’re pretty?

Her: No.

Me: Why not?

Her: Well, my friend is so tall and beautiful…

Me: Yes, she sure is. But that doesn’t take away from your beauty.

Her: I KNOW I’m beautiful… but… it’s like my body is telling me I’m not!

Me: Those are lies-

Her, cutting me off: I’m trying to punch those lies away!! Get away lies! But my body keeps telling me I’m not pretty!!!

First of all, I think that’s pretty deep for a 9 yr old. But it was at this point, that I realized she’s facing what every woman, ever girl faces. The lies that tell us we are not pretty, that we don’t measure up to everyone else. The lies that want us to believe that we are not worthy so that we never live up to our potential, the potential that God has instilled in us.

Am I jumping the gun? Hear me out.

Every woman I’ve ever met struggles with self esteem and does NOT see their own beauty. Every single one. And it had to start somewhere right?

But why? What’s the point of struggling with our beauty? Why would someone (the enemy) want us to struggle with our beauty?

God created us in His image and He loves us as we are. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we are perfect and righteous in His eyes, and equipped to be everything He wants us to be. And God has big plans for each and everyone one of us!

But someone is standing in the way of that. There is someone who will do anything to keep us from reaching our God given potential. And I think there is a simple way to begin that process. Attacking our self worth – the way we see ourselves – starting so young. If He can get at our young girls, convince them they are ugly, that they don’t measure up, that they are not as good as others – what will that do to them in the long run?

It starts with “I’m not pretty” but turns into “I’m not good enough” and “I’m not valuable or worthy.” If the enemy can get our young girls to believe those lies, what happens to them then? What do those lies lead them to? God or Worldly things? What a dangerous, scary, slippery slope!

We can fight, though. We have power inside of us. When my daughter said she wanted to fight the lies, I knew what I needed to teach her. I taught her about the battle long ago between God and Satan and how 1/3 of the angels followed Satan to Earth. How there is a spiritual battle going on and how the enemy whispers lies to us. It’s not her body lying to her, but the enemy lying to her.

So she said, I’ll fight the enemy! I’ll fight them away!! She’s such a fierce little thing. But I told her, I love her spirit and fierceness but we are not stronger than the demons. Not alone. But there is a power inside of us… She cut me off again and yelled “God’s power!!! I have God’s Power inside of me to fight with!!!”

Yes, Girl! Yes!! And that’s how we fight off the lies of the enemy. With God’s power. Through the power of Jesus Christ, we can fight the lies and we WIN. I tried to give her an example of words to say, but my girl does not need my help. She is filled with wisdom and God has big plans for her. I know it. She says “Listen up demons, I have God in my heart and God is fighting for me and we are winning and you have to go away!!!”

When she gets fired up, I stop and listen. She may be 9 years old, but she speaks with power when she speaks about God. I can’t wait to see what God has for her.

What lies do you need to fight? What lies have you been fighting on your own for too long? Bring God into the fight! He will fight for you!

Happy Tuesday, Friends!