Do you stress more over your appearance in the summer? Does comparison try to spoil your season, making it difficult to enjoy time in the sun or on vacation? If summer causes your body image issues to flare, this 5-day reading plan will help you stop comparing and start living. Author and body image coach Heather Creekmore tackles tough issues like envy and identity with relatable humor and grace.
Compared to Who?
Day 1
Scriptures: Genesis 1:26-27, 1 Samuel 16:7, Psalms 139:13-14, Romans 5:5-8, 1 John 4:9-14, John 3:16
The day before our summer vacation, I rushed to the store to find a swimsuit that fits. Pulling out my toenails sounded more enjoyable.
Grabbing every reasonable suit that looked my size, I headed into the dressing room, took a deep breath, and stared at my bounty.
Is it hot in here? No matter. I was sweating.
As I struggled, yanked, and tugged suits on and off, I heard defeated sighs and moans echo in the stalls around me. Fellow shoppers struggled too. Hmm. Could it be that most women hate wearing swimsuits?
If this is true, why am I tempted to believe this seasonal struggle is about how my body looks?
It’s as predictable as the smoke alarm beeping for batteries at 2 am. Every Spring, a siren sounds, beckoning women to “get it together” because summer is coming!
It’s not an invitation but a threat—a warning that you will not enjoy your summer unless you do something to fix your body. Vacations, trips to the lake or pool, they’ll all be spoiled. The pressure is palpable. Change or miss out.
But what does God say about our bodies? Do we really have to toil through the warmest months of the year, never feeling like our bodies look good enough to cool in the pool?
I have great news. It’s possible to enjoy the summer even if you never meet your #bodygoals. You can freely enjoy the season without comparing yourself to every other woman you see. You don’t have to wait to enjoy summer someday when you’ve lost weight or toned the parts. You’re free to enjoy summer now!
The secret isn’t in attaining culture’s version of bodily perfection. It’s in changing our beliefs.
Underneath our desire for body transformation lies a more profound longing. We want unconditional love, acceptance, and confidence that God put us on earth for a purpose. No matter what culture teaches, love is not about how we look in Lycra.
Likewise, no size or shape will guarantee you feel good in a swimsuit. Only Jesus promises we’re already loved, accepted, and deemed worthy through him. He calls you His own. Made in God’s image, we have value beyond compare, no matter how we fill out a tankini.
Today we’ll look at scriptures reminding us of God’s great love, intentionality, and design for our bodies.
Day 2
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 12:1-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, Romans 6:13, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Corinthians 3:16
I just read an article on how to feel better in a swimsuit. It acknowledged that even the most “athletic and shapely women” struggle. The author recounted working for an entertainment group where professional performers would cry, scream and throw fits over their “perfect” (by culture’s standards) bodies.
“We all struggle with body image,” she wrote. “It’s not about our bodies. . .”
Thanks, that’s what I’ve been trying to say!
But what surprised me was how she ended the piece. After her brilliant assessment that body image issues are internal struggles, she encouraged her readers with four tips for the summer. They can be summarized as follows: buy a swimsuit that fits, buy colorful accessories, exercise in the pool, and eat well.
Seriously? If the problem has nothing to do with our appearance, how “helpful” is a solution comprised of cute jewelry, carrots, and water aerobics?
Is anyone else confused?
Culture has difficulty offering answers to women who struggle with body image. The good news is that scripture doesn’t.
The Bible encourages us to take a new view of our bodies and lives. Women are not objects designed to be ogled or admired. We’re instruments of God’s grace. We use our bodies to serve him.
Imagine how silly it would be to go to church and stand outside the building oohing and ahhing over the architecture. Church buildings aren’t art. They’re facilities for worship. Similarly, our bodies are the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. But we’re not to worship the temple. Instead, we’re to use our temples for worship.
God’s not waiting for you to tone up your temple before He can use you. He’s given you spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities that He wants you to use for him, no matter the size or shape of your body. I may not be a swimsuit model, but I can model the love of Jesus. When I let God’s light and love shine through me, my cellulite and stretchmarks don’t matter as much anymore. His purpose propels me past my insecurities.
What’s even more beautiful is how when we begin to see our bodies as living sacrifices, instruments used to glorify and worship God, it takes the pressure off. I no longer seek glory for myself (or how I look by the pool). I just want to bring glory to Him.
Day 3
Scriptures: Nehemiah 8:10, Proverbs 31:30-31, 1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 5:21, Psalms 115:4-8, Jonah 2:8-9, Matthew 6:21
Most women are discontent with how they look in a swimsuit. Let that sink in for a moment.
Can you believe it? Or are you mentally listing the women you know who seem to have the right shape to love this season?
But search Google, and you’ll find that even swimsuit models struggle with body image.
When we believe our bodies are the most valuable thing we have to offer, we focus on them even more. The harder we focus, the more pressure we feel. The more pressure we feel, the more obsessive we become over food, exercise, and appearance.
But getting a ‘better body’ isn’t the solution that frees us from summer body image issues. Instead, it could make them worse.
Studies prove this. Women who lose significant amounts of weight report being more body obsessed after weight loss than before. The compliments that come initially slow down while the focus on “fixing” other body parts amps up. You believed weight loss would solve it, but meet your goal and feel no change.
“Maybe I need to lose a little more,” You muse. Then, your worry turns to the extra skin, now deflated breasts, or wrinkles that must be fixed before you can feel beach ready.
I promise it’s never enough.
Even if you feel fantastic for a season, confidence derived from your physical appearance never lasts. Instead, beauty and body image quickly become idols that beckon us to bow.
The beauty idol says: If you ever want to enjoy life, look more like her. While the body image idol sneers: Enjoying summer is a privilege reserved for those who wear a smaller size than you!
Idols lie. They keep us chasing their false promises of rest, peace, and joy. But they never deliver. Their ploy traps us in envy, bogged down by feelings of inferiority. Even if you’re pursuing better health, there’s nothing spiritually healthy about that!
The Bible tells a different story. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Jesus beckons us to come to him for rest. He encourages us not to put our treasure in earthly things. No matter how “perfect” we get our bodies, they’re only temporary. (Hello, aging! Even Proverbs tells us beauty fades.)
Having a spiritually, mentally, and physically healthy approach to our bodies this summer requires us to believe the messages of the Word instead of those of the world.
Day 4
Scriptures: Isaiah 61:7, 1 Corinthians 3:3, Ecclesiastes 4:4, Psalms 34:4-5, James 4:2-3, James 3:14, 2 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 5:19-26
Waterparks are fun, aren’t they? It’s a whole universe designed for wearing only swim attire. It’s next to impossible to don a coverup between rides. You must pretend it doesn’t feel strange to walk around so exposed.
My favorite waterpark activity isn’t the rides. It’s people-watching. This pastime is a reminder that most women don’t look like swimsuit models.
But I have to be careful. My heart does a curious thing. I will watch 99 women walk by without incident. Then comes the one. She looks like she stepped off a suntan lotion billboard. And my insecurities swell.
Oh, how I wish I looked like that in a swimsuit.
Comparison sends me spinning. What does she eat? How does she work out? Has she always looked like that?
How’d she get that body?
I know nothing about this woman, yet suddenly I’m obsessed. Not over who she is or her story. No, I don’t really see her; I see a match for what culture tells me a woman’s body should look like. Instantly I abdicate my Christian calling to love, choosing to objectify her instead.
Yikes!
And it makes me miserable. As I walk around the waterpark, I feel a new awareness of my body’s flaws. Comparison won’t let me feel comfortable in my skin. I competed in an imaginary beauty contest against this woman and lost. Now, I must hide and sulk. If I brood well enough, I may be able to spoil the trip for the whole family.
But my shame comes from the ugliness of my heart, not my thighs. Comparison is a nice word. We slap our wrists and say, “Oh shucks, I should stop comparing!” But the Bible uses different words. Scripture talks about covetousness and envy. These are two ways we fall into subtle sin every time we compare.
Envy holds a touch of hatred. She has what we want, and we kind of hate her for it. At the same time, covetousness looks like desiring what another possesses. I want her abs. I want a body like that, a husband like hers.
With sin comes shame. We feel its weight like a wet beach towel. Culture tells us that our shame will disappear when we get a better body. Then we’ll win the fictitious contest and feel good again. But scripture tells us the only solution for shame is the Gospel. Let’s take a look.
Day 5
Scriptures: Psalms 119:1-16, Psalms 119:33-40, Galatians 6:2, Isaiah 40:8, Isaiah 55:8, Hebrews 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ecclesiastes 4:10
The choice is ours. We can spend the season comparing ourselves to others and wishing we had better bodies. Or, we can focus on loving our people and enjoying the warm weather activities together.
We can sweat through our jeans because we don’t like our legs exposed, or we can find shorts that fit and feel free to enjoy those outdoor barbeques.
We can refuse to get in the pool because we don’t look anything like a swimsuit model, or we can choose comfortable swimwear and make memories.
Summer doesn’t have to be a scorcher to your self-image. Incorporate the 3 C’s strategies below, and you can feel a new sense of freedom and confidence this summer.
1. Commit. Maybe you’ve tried to commit to a food or exercise plan to prepare for summer. Why not commit to spending daily time in scripture? This spiritual discipline encourages us to remember who we are in Christ. Knowing our identities are secure in Him helps soothe all our insecurities. Culture’s messages come at us from every direction, dictating what makes a woman beautiful. Reading God’s definitions of beauty reminds us of what’s true.
2. Community. Comparing ourselves to others happens more when we feel alone. Consider taking social media apps off your phone and focusing on real relationships this summer. Scrolling leads to loneliness and discontentment. Consider waiting until you return from vacation to post those pictures so you’re not distracted by what you look like or how others respond. Feeling low in the friendship department? Maybe it’s time to take the initiative and invite someone to coffee or lunch.
3. Choose Healthy Things to Consume. Many of my coaching clients carefully watch their food intake. But what we consume with our eyes can harm our body image more than what we eat. Today you’ll read Psalm 119:37. How many “worthless” things are you looking at? Do pictures of women who are thinner or fitter help you keep your focus on Jesus and his purpose for your life? Or do they distract you and keep you in a prison of body image woe? Also, consider what you’re reading and listening to. Is your media consumption helping you focus on God’s truth? Are you more influenced by health and fitness influencers than you are by scripture? Take some time to evaluate what feeds your heart and mind the most.