4 Reminders for the Christian Woman Heading Into Swimsuit Season

Can I tell you something before summer gets into full swing?

  You were created for so much more than dwelling on what your body doesn't look like.

I know that's blunt, but I think some of us need to hear it.

Every year around this time, I start seeing the same thing happen. Women begin putting their lives on hold while they long for a different body.

They tell themselves they'd enjoy the vacation fully if they could lose the weight. They'll get in the picture when they've lost a certain amount. They'll wear the swimsuit when they feel better about themselves. They'll finally relax and have fun once they reach some number on the scale.

But here's what I've been thinking about lately... How many summers do we actually get? None of us know.

James tells us that our lives are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14). Psalm 90 reminds us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Scripture constantly calls us to remember that our time is limited, not because God wants us to be fearful, but because He wants us to live fully present in the life He has given us.

And yet so many women spend years waiting. Waiting to enjoy their lives. Waiting to make memories. Waiting to feel worthy enough to participate. Waiting for a body that may never come.

As I was thinking about that recently, there were four things I wanted to remind myself of heading into summer, and maybe you need these reminders too.

The first is this: your body is not a project that needs fixing before it can be enjoyed.

I think diet culture has convinced us that life starts when we finally arrive. Once we lose the weight, tone up, or we look the way we think we're supposed to look.

But your children aren't measuring your worth by your dress size.

Your husband isn't creating his favorite family memories based on how flat your stomach looked that day.

The people who love you are not standing on the beach evaluating your body.

They're simply glad you're there.

I think about family vacations and how often moms volunteer to be the photographer because they don't want to be in the picture. Years later, those same moms wish they had more photos with their children. Not because they suddenly looked perfect, but because they realized the memory mattered more than the appearance.

Don't miss the joy of this summer while waiting for a different body.

The second reminder is that stewardship and obsession are not the same thing.

I care deeply about health. You know that. I believe strength is a gift. I believe caring for our bodies matters and that pursuing health can absolutely honor God.

But I also know how easy it is for something good to become something that we have started to obsess over or even worship.

I've had seasons where my thoughts about my body occupied far more space in my mind than they should have. Maybe you have too. We can start with a healthy desire to steward our bodies and slowly drift into a place where our body consumes our thoughts, our emotions, and our attention.

A question I've been asking myself lately is this: Am I spending more time thinking about my body than I am thinking about God and what He has called me to do?

That's a sobering question.

Because health is a gift, but it was never meant to become our god.

When our pursuit of health begins pulling our hearts away from Christ rather than drawing us toward gratitude and stewardship, it's time for a heart check.

The third reminder is one I think we desperately need in the age of social media.

The people who love you are focused on you.

Not your body.

You.

Your laugh.

Your presence.

Your personality.

Your hugs.

Your conversations.

The way you make people feel when they're around you.

I think many of us assume everyone notices our insecurities as much as we do. But most people aren't analyzing our bodies the way we're analyzing them (and if they are... that's weird???)

When your kids remember family vacations years from now, they aren't going to talk about whether your arms looked toned in a tank top.

They're going to remember that you got in the water with them.

They're going to remember that you built sandcastles, chased them through the waves, and laughed until your stomach hurt.

They're going to remember YOU and how you made them feel.

That's what matters.

And finally, summer is meant to be experienced, not survived.

Somewhere along the way, I think many women started treating summer like an obstacle course of body image triggers instead of a season to enjoy.

Eat the ice cream. Go on the vacation. Take the family picture. Play in the pool. Make the memories.

The goal is not to have the perfect body this summer.

The goal is to faithfully enjoy the life God has given you.

Ecclesiastes reminds us again and again that life itself is a gift from God. Every meal, vacation, celebration, and relationship. They are ALL gifts to receive with gratitude, not experiences to postpone until we feel better about ourselves.

Friend, I hope you continue pursuing health. I hope you keep showing up for your workouts. I hope you keep stewarding your body well.

But I also hope you don't wait until you've reached some imaginary finish line before allowing yourself to enjoy your life.

Because this summer is a gift.

This season is a gift.

And the body God has given you today is capable of making memories, serving others, glorifying Him, and experiencing joy right now.

You don't have to wait for a different body before you start living.

For more encouragement like this, follow us on social media @fitforhisglory or learn more here www.fitforhisglory.co.