One of the phrases I have worked to teach my daughter is this: No sense lookin’ good if you don’t feel good. I so badly want to combat the inundation of thoughts and images that tell a girl/lady/woman who she should be & what she should look like. So that phrase is one of my pillars for this conversation: no sense lookin’ good if you don’t feel good.

Today’s devotional in Pauses for Lent reminds us that “our bodies lie at the center of our spiritual lives.” 1 Corinthians 6:19 says: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?”

The Holy Spirit is our gut check, our moment-to-moment daily counselor. And one of the best ways we can use this superpower is by asking the Holy Spirit to help our insides (feeling good) match our outsides (looking good).

What good is my out-loud worship if my heart is ugly and jealous and cranky?
What good is my serve team dedication if my insides are complaining about it the whole time?
What good is my cute new red dress if I feel awful in it?
What good is my glamorous outside if my insides are crumbling?

Maybe there’s a case to be made for the outside not matching the inside, like fake it till you make it or the noble thing of following through on a commitment even when you’re not feelin’ it. But the more sustaining point here is this: no sense looking good if you don’t feel good.

If my spiritual life is off-balance, trying to show that it’s in balance by doing all the exterior things won’t actually put my spiritual life back in balance. Posting about the devotional I read this morning won’t do a thing for my insides if I don’t actually apply the truth. Saying I belong to a small group because my name is on the roster won’t do my walk with God any good if I don’t actually show up to the small group. Belonging to a text string with women from church and only absorbing what they share but not contributing or encouraging won’t do my soul any long-lasting good.

It’s okay if you feel broken; show it to somebody.
It’s okay if you feel scared; show it to somebody.
It’s okay if you feel doubtful; show it to somebody.

Our bodies are a powerful asset. They let us know when something is going well and when something needs to change. So if you’re looking good but not feeling good, something needs to change. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, not only because we’ve all been there but also because Jesus has been there. He came as fully man with a body just like ours. He knows the struggle to have our insides match our outsides; he was just really good at conquering that struggle. (Bread and water in a desert anyone?)

So today, 10 days away from your body can take in whatever it is you’ve given up for Lent, may you pay attention to your insides. May the Holy Spirit grant you a clear path forward for your insides to match your outsides.

Because there’s no sense lookin’ good if you don’t feel good.

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