10 Verses For When You Struggle with Your Body Image
Do you struggle with your body image?
Do you have days where you look in the mirror and don’t like your body?
Me too.
Recently I’ve gained a few pounds and thoughts of discontentment are plaguing me once again. When I consider that some of my loved ones are battling very real and serious health issues – I can’t help but to feel convicted of my discontentment with my body.
It has caused me to turn to God and ask him for help and for right thinking time and time again. Sometimes I win this battle and somedays I am losing badly. But this I know.
This struggle is good for me.
You might think that is crazy to say – but I know it is good when we wrestle these things out and call on God to give us guidance. He cares!
God’s Word teaches us to be thankful and to honor him with our body. He has the power to help you with your insecurities and the struggles that you face with your body image.
Let’s take a look together at what His word says.
Here’s 10 Verses for When You Struggle with Your Body Image-
1. God created your body- He knit you together. Choose to be thankful for how he wonderfully made you and what he has given you.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ~Psalm 139:13-14
2. You were created in the image of God- wow, that is humbling and amazing to think about!
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ~Genesis 1:27
3. God is looking at your heart, not your outward appearance.
For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. ~1 Samuel 16:7
4. God is concerned with our bodies! He gave them to us to steward.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. ~1 Corinthians 6:19-20
5. Don’t allow your body image to get you sidetracked from your real goals in life- the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. ~1 Peter 3:3-4
6. Another goal is to fear the Lord- this means to have a sense of awe of God- to appreciate His character and His holiness.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30
7. Are you training for godliness? Godliness is someone who is so focused on God that their conduct and character reflect their private, intimate walk with God.
Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ~1 Timothy 4:7-8
8. Obsessing over every little bite we take and worrying that we might gain a pound is not appreciating the gift of food that God has given us. But likewise, indulging in food to the point of gluttony is abusing the gift of food. In the middle is self-control, balance and freedom. Be free!
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31
9. God created you for good works. You have to find the place where you are free…and it is not a number on the scale or a certain dress size…it’s when you are eating right and getting proper rest and exercise.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ~Ephesians 2:10
10. You are not alone and because He is with you – you never have to live in fear. He will give you strength each and every day.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13
This world is not our home – we are just passing through. None of us are superwoman. And it’s okay – we were not made to be superwoman – she is a fictitious character!
When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we were redeemed and bought with the price of his blood. Our body is not our own – it is the Holy Spirit’s temple, and we are to glorify God with our bodies.
I feel like there’s to be a delicate balance between stewarding our body while also being content and understanding that everyone’s body is imperfect. The negative thoughts that plague our minds are not from Jesus. They are from our enemy who wants to tear us down.
If we are convicted by the Holy Spirit because of some unhealthy habits – then that’s a different story – but conviction and just plain lies, playing on a loop in our minds, are very different.
I think we need to remember how much we should thank God for our body and all that it does for us every.single.day!
Keep walking with the King!
Do you want to print these verses? Click here to open the free printable.
If you’re looking to study this topic further, I would recommend the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians will help us to focus on keeping His commands at the forefront of our lives.
To find all the free Bible Study Resources for
the book of 1 Corinthians – along with a free video series —–> CLICK HERE!
Thank you for this, Courtney. I’m 45 and have struggled with this for most of my life. What a wonderful, gentle reminder of where our heart’s focus truly needs to be. ?