Recovery is embracing imperfection

Yesterday, I wrote to you about body image.  Today, I want to take that concept a little bit deeper and talk to you about Ana.

I know exactly what people mean when they talk about Ana, but I realize that not everyone understands.  So let me explain…to someone with an eating disorder, Ana is the essence of all things thin and beautiful.  Ana is a perfect body coupled with perfect will-power.  Ana is a mentor and a guide.  Simply put, Ana is perfection.

(Sound messed up?  It is.  But when you are struggling with an eating disorder and desperate to lose weight, Ana somehow makes perfect sense.)

In the midst of my eating disorder, I spent so much of my time and energy pursuing Ana that I never even realized that the perfection I was searching for was a lie.  It wasn’t until much more recently that God revealed to me one simple but profound truth: Ana isn’t real…but Satan is.

When I turned to Ana and idolized her and asked her to help me lose weight, what I was turning to was a lie.  What I was turning to was Satan.

Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith… -1 Peter 5:8-9

Satan has made it his job to destroy lives, devouring everything he can sink his teeth into.  Sometimes, his lies can be convincing.  Thankfully, God has Truth that counters those lies.

Satan tells me that my skin isn’t perfect.  But God says, “I made your skin, and I love it.”

Satan tells me that my thighs aren’t perfect.  But God says, “I formed your thighs, and I love them.”

Satan tells me that my facial features aren’t perfect.  But God says, “I hand-chose every feature you have, and I love them.”

Satan tells me that my frizzy hair isn’t perfect.  But God says, “I have counted every hair on your head, and I love them.”

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, know this:  Ana and Mia are lies invented by Satan to destroy you.  Ana and Mia teach you to hate your body (though they disguise it as the holy pursuit of perfection.)  But God LOVES your body.  And those things you consider imperfections?  He cherishes them.

Embrace your imperfections.

They are beautiful.