Our Roots 9/28/26

Welcome to today’s devotion. Every day, we face the reality that our flesh and our hearts may fail us—but we also face the beautiful truth of Psalm 73:26, that God is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever. Today, let’s shift our perspective from seeking satisfaction in things that fade to finding true fullness in Christ. What we put on our plates is a beautiful opportunity to steward the temple He entrusted to us. Let’s dive in.

Today and each Monday, we will be pulling back the layers on a topic that hits so close to home for many of us: our body image and where it actually started.

When I look back at my own history, one phrase echoes louder than most. Growing up, I was always told to "suck it in"—and of course, that meant my belly. I wasn't necessarily an overweight child, but I had a slightly bigger frame than my peers. That difference opened the door for bullying at school, and worse, mindless remarks from important women in my life. Those words left deep, hidden wounds.

Fast forward to today, and I’ll be completely honest with you: I struggle every single day with accepting the weight gain I’ve experienced over the past couple of years. To make it harder, people in my life still have comments that rub directly against those old wounds.

If you are waiting for me to give you a perfect three-step formula on how to fix this, I have to confess—this is something I haven't gained the wisdom yet to fully speak truth to my own soul every day. I am still very much in the middle of the fight. But as I sit with the Lord, He keeps bringing me back to a fundamental truth. The Bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:13-14). When I look in the mirror and tear myself down, what an insult it is to my Creator to criticize the body that He personally knit together.

While some people possess an incredible amount of natural body confidence, many of us often hit a wall of deep insecurity. If that is you, you are not alone. Our flesh and our hearts are failing us in this area, but we don't have to carry the load by ourselves. Healing our body image isn't about achieving a certain size; it starts by recognizing that our frames are the intentional work of the Potter’s hands.

I encourage you to take a quiet, grace-filled moment with the Holy Spirit to look at your own roots today:

• What mindless remarks or unwritten rules from your past are still dictating how you view your weight gain or your body today?

• How does it shift your perspective to realize that accepting your body right now isn't about vanity, but about showing respect to the One who created it?

A Prayer to End Our Time Together

Heavenly Father, You are the architect of my body, and you knit me stitch by stitch in my mother's womb. Forgive me for the times I have not appreciated Your craftsmanship by speaking harshly about my body in any capacity. Today, I choose to completely surrender my body image over to You. Holy Spirit, heal the wounds that still fester from time to time and give me the eyes to see myself exactly as You see me - - fearfully, wonderfully and intentionally made. Grant me to ability to extend deep grace to myself on this journey, especially when my emotions struggle to keep up with Your truth. Help me to stop fighting my body and instead appreciate Your design, trusting that You are the ultimate strength of my heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

In grace,

Elizabeth