10 Verses When You're Struggling With Negative Body Image

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - Psalm 139:14

Last year, I read (or rather listened to) a book called Perfectly Unique by Annie F. Downs. If you’ve followed me for a while, then you know that Annie is one of my all-time favorite authors. So when I found myself having read all of her more recent books, I went back into the archives and bought her audiobook of Perfectly Unique, the second book she ever published.

The main message of the book is geared towards helping women have a more positive relationship with their body, rather than the negative relationship many of us find ourselves stuck in. For most of my life, I’ve struggled with fighting off harsh, critical, and negative thoughts about my body. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take very long for me to look in the mirror and find at least a couple flaws right off the bat.

It breaks my heart to know that most women are navigating the same struggles. But at the same time, I get it. It’s a weird sort of heart-wrenching empathy. However, over the last few years as I’ve attempted to make strides towards a more positive view of my body, I’ve learned a very important lesson:

You don’t have to listen to what is being said about you when it’s contrary to what God says is true of you.

And friend, that includes what you’re saying about yourself.

If what you’re telling yourself in the mirror goes against what God says about you in His Word, then you’ve bought into the lies the enemy is so desperate for you to believe. But let me encourage you and remind you that you don’t have to buy those lies for another minute.

Annie talks about a great exercise in Perfectly Unique that her friends walked her through whenever she was in a really bad place with her own body image struggles. They had her write down every lie she believed about herself, particularly when it came to her appearance. Each lie was written on its own separate 3x5 notecard. Then, once all of the lies were accounted for, Annie had to go find a verse in Scripture that would combat each lie and write it on the back of the corresponding notecard. This way, every time she was tempted to once again believe a lie about herself, she had God’s Word ready and waiting to help her fight against that lie.

I think this is an incredible exercise that we can all put into practice, and it’s one I would encourage you to do if you’re struggling with overcoming negative body image. I’ve compiled a list of verses below that might be helpful in combatting the lies you’re tempted to believe, but I would also suggest you spend some time on your own in God’s Word and ask Him to remind you what He says is true of you. Remember friend, what your Heavenly Father says about you carries way more weight than anything anyone could ever say about you, including yourself.

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I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - Psalm 139:14

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. - 1 Peter 3:3-4

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. - Proverbs 31:30

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. - Romans 12:1

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. - Philippians 3:21

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:27