To remain free from anxiety and fear, we need a mature faith. One that will stand through trials and storms. Rock-solid faith built on a sure, eternal foundation. What if we have placed our hope in something that can be burned up, used up, broken, or removed? Or perhaps, our faith is dependent upon our own strength or ability, or that of someone else? If our foundation rests on something temporal, or of this world, we will likely find ourselves right back where we started—slaves to anxiety and fear. With our feet firmly planted upon Jesus Christ, however, and with His Word rooted deep within our hearts, we will not be shaken.
Before learning the truth of God’s perfect love for me, before finding my identity in Christ, I would get up to look in the mirror each morning and count the many blemishes and imperfections I saw staring back at me. It was frustrating and embarrassing to still be struggling with acne into my thirties. No matter how many different products and treatments I’d tried over the years, I continued to battle bad breakouts. I pleaded with God to take it away. I was tired of fighting it, of trying to control my problem skin. But God continued to allow acne to afflict me, despite my desperate pleas. In the midst of my frustration, helplessness, and shame, I couldn’t see that who I was in Christ mattered more than whether or not I had clear skin. I only saw someone who didn’t measure up on the outside. I’m guessing this is why God did not take my skin problems away—He couldn’t have me believing my self-worth was only skin deep. Unfortunately, I couldn’t let it go. As a result, I battled insecurity for years.
Starting in my teen years, I turned to makeup in an effort to conceal the imperfections on my face. I thought if I could cover up my flaws, people would be more likely to accept and love me. With makeup on, I felt confident and beautiful. Without it, I felt unworthy and ashamed. It wasn’t long after starting to wear makeup that I no longer felt comfortable in public without it. I began avoiding social situations where I couldn’t cover up with makeup, such as the beach or pool. I stopped looking people in the eye for fear I would catch them staring at my broken-out skin and feel humiliated. I didn’t realize I was establishing a dependency on makeup—a dependency that would lead to a fear of letting others see the real me.
All this striving for perfection and control opened a door for pride to grip my heart. I didn’t recognize my pridefulness at first, because it masked itself as anxiety and fear. But where fear was present in my life—telling me that others would reject the real me—pride was not far away. I was surprised to discover some of the anxiety I was experiencing was actually a pride issue at its core, because I had never equated insecurity with pride. But what I discovered is insecurity is self-focused rather than others-focused. God began revealing to me that, to gain complete victory over anxiety and fear, the sin of pride had to also be removed.
It was wrong for me to build my identity and self-worth upon foundation makeup rather than the foundation of my faith, Jesus Christ. It wasn’t until years later, on this journey with the Lord to overcome anxiety and fear, that I sensed God calling me to stop wearing makeup. He gently revealed that it was time to remove the mask. I had heard God telling me this in the past, but I was never willing to listen to Him. This time around, I suppose I was a little more open. Or maybe a little more desperate for healing.
I heard God saying, stop letting the mirror tell you who you are. Stop believing its lies. Let Me tell you who you are in Me. Don’t look to the world, which says you don’t measure up; which says you aren’t enough. In Me, you are enough. “For by one sacrifice [I have] made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14).
It was time for me to find out who I really was, to let others see the real me, and to learn to love myself. At first, I tried to ignore God’s still, small voice again. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could commit to giving up wearing makeup completely. It would feel like walking out my front door stark naked, completely exposed. However, His voice persisted. It was July 4th, Independence Day, when I heard Him say, Cover up your bathroom mirror and tape Scripture to it. Declare your independence from makeup today!
I thought, my husband is going to think I’m absolutely crazy! God, there is no way I can actually do this. Still, I couldn’t shake the conviction I felt in my spirit. So, after mustering up as much courage as I could, I told my husband what I had been thinking about doing. His response took me completely by surprise: “You’ve struggled with this for a long time. I think it might be a good idea. You’re beautiful with or without makeup.”
What a sweetheart! His response was confirmation to me that I wasn’t, in fact, hearing things and losing my mind. God was in this! Why else would my husband agree to let me cover up all the mirrors in the house with plastic tablecloths and post Scripture to keep me from looking in the mirror, criticizing myself, and picking at my skin? I mean, come on. Seriously?
As much as I didn’t want to go through with it, I knew I needed to be obedient to follow God’s leading. Plus, I really wanted to be free from my bondage to makeup. Thus, not a drop of primer, foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, blush, or even lip gloss touched my face for a whole year and a half. I didn’t cheat once—not even with a tinted moisturizer, translucent powder, or clear lip gloss—tempting as it was.
It was difficult to do at first. I felt very insecure and I feared what people might think or say to me. God met me in my insecurity, though, and reassured me I was doing the right thing with the truth of His Word. He showed me Isaiah 54:4, which says, “Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.”
Much to my surprise, I never once heard a negative remark about my appearance the whole year and a half I fasted from makeup. Instead of being shamed and rejected, I experienced tremendous freedom and healing! I learned that people didn’t just love the me who seemingly had it altogether, but the real me—imperfections and all! A huge weight was lifted—one I didn’t know I had been carrying around with me far too long.
Unmasked, I learned to receive the love, acceptance, and approval that was mine in Jesus Christ. As a result, I grew more confident in who I was in Him. During the time of my makeup fast, I learned to stop letting the mirror tell me who I was, and God rebuilt my identity and self-worth upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, according His Word—not foundation makeup. God revealed to me that I was loved, beautiful, flawless, and clothed with the perfection of Christ. He took away my fear of rejection with the promise of His unfailing love, and He showed me His plans for my complete restoration.
Mark Batterson writes in his book, Soulprint, “Scripture is the only perfect mirror because it reveals how our Designer sees us. Most of our identity problems are the result of looking in the wrong mirrors.”
Our worth is not self-made; it cannot be found in any of the following: our job titles, our relationships with others, our parenting skills, our net worth, our physical appearance, our list of accomplishments, the good works we do, the number of volunteer hours we work, the success of our ministry, or even how well-versed we are in Scripture. Our worth is found in being adopted daughters of our heavenly Father (see John 1:12; Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 3:1). It is found in who we become in relationship with Christ. Jesus’s death on the cross allows us to proclaim, I am loved because Jesus Christ found me worth dying for! The end.
Right before Jesus breathed His last breath here on earth, He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Therefore, since His death and resurrection are final, and there is nothing anyone can do to improve upon or add to what He already accomplished, we ought to start believing that who we are in Christ is truly enough! According to the Word of God, we are children of God (see Galatians 3:26); heirs to a kingdom not of this world (see Romans 8:17; John 18:36); chain breakers (see Isaiah 58:6); the salt of the earth (see Matthew 5:13); the light of the world (see Matthew 5:14); chosen, holy, and dearly loved (see Colossians 3:12); wonderfully made (see Psalm 139:14); altogether beautiful and flawless (see Song of Songs 4:7); the bride of Christ (see Revelation 21:9). All this, God says, and more!
If our faith is built upon a foundation of false beliefs—misconceived notions about who God is, what He has done for us, or who we are in relationship with Him—then we are likely living as unbelievers on some level, deprived of the fullness of life we could be living in Christ. For this reason, it is vital we rebuild our identities and secure our faith on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ.
My experience has taught me that the primary way this is accomplished is through the reading and hearing of God’s Word. Not only will you find peace in His presence, as we learned in Step 6, but His truth will penetrate your heart. As you allow God’s Word to grow deep roots and dwell within you, you will gain greater understanding of who God is, what He has done for you, and who you are in Him. This understanding will consequently establish your identity and secure your foundation of faith in Christ. Paul put it this way: “Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life” (Ephesians 3:17 TPT). Then, you can begin using your faith to step out and take action as God leads you, confident that His perfect love can be counted on in all things. And you will discover as God establishes and perfects His love within you that fear cannot exist; it is driven out (see 1 John 4:18). Hallelujah!
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”
—Matthew 7:24–25
