The issue of body image is pervasive in today’s culture. Countless women battle a spirit of restlessness, insecurity, shame, and discontent with their own bodies. Some go to great lengths to overcome these insecurities, while others settle into a life of passivity. This issue is particularly complex within the church, because biblical truth is often intertwined with cultural standards. Whether facing physical challenges such as aging, disability, illness, and death, or more emotional challenges like comparison, discontentment, envy, and insecurity, most women will struggle with their bodies at some point during their lives, which makes this an important topic for all women.

How a woman thinks about, views, and treats her body will either disempower her and hinder her growth in spiritual maturity, or it will free her from slavery to self and enable her to be a powerful and effective minister of Christ in all seasons and circumstances. Self-acceptance will never bring lasting freedom. Whether we loathe ourselves or love ourselves, self is still at the center. If we hope to find freedom from the tyranny of our own self-image, we must learn to view ourselves through a different lens.