Ever since Eden, the daughters of Eve have longed to be beautiful. They yearn for admiration, approval, and a tender look from a Prince’s eyes. Girls play dress-up and twirl in tulle skirts. Women spend hours perfecting their makeup and planning the perfect wardrobe. Yet, despite their efforts, many women seem to be missing a certain je ne sais quoi. Chasing beauty, they forget to seek the One who created true beauty. They fall far short of the beauty they might have had. I believe that every woman has the potential to be stunningly beautiful…to be a woman of glory. But there is a secret that she must know.

Read on to learn the secret to becoming a woman of glory.

Glory Started in the Garden

God created woman to be the crowning glory of creation. In the Garden of Eden, Eve walked in perfect friendship with her husband Adam and her God. Imagine how beautiful she must have been…a perfect complexion, impeccable hair, and a flawless figure. She never had to worry about getting acne, gaining 5 pounds, or having flabby arms. Her outer glory was perfect.

Yet she and Adam sinned against God, and a shadow of sin fell across her beautiful face. Ever since then, every daughter of Eve and son of Adam have been born under the curse of sin. Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the curse and penalty of sin. He bore our sins in his own body on the cross so we could be forgiven. If you have never trusted Him to forgive your sins and save you, you can do that today.

The Inner Glory of a Godly Woman

And, if you are a daughter of God by faith, He is calling you to glory. He doesn’t merely want you to put on your fuzzy pyjamas, lie back in your window seat, and munch on Turbo Snacks until the plane reaches Heaven. He’s calling you to something much greater and grander.

God is calling you to reflect His glory.

Instead of self-indulgence, He wants you to keep yourself pure.

Instead of your worry, He wants you to have peace written all over your face.

Instead of selfishness, He wants you to show compassion to others.

Instead of anger, He wants you to respond with self-control.

When people look at your life, He wants them to know that you are different. That you are a woman of glory. That you are His daughter.

How is this possible? One word.

Grace.

The secret to inner glory is to constantly walk with God and depend on His grace.

When your feet hit the floor in the morning, start talking to God. Spend serious time in God’s Word each day. Pour out your heart to Him. When He speaks, listen. When He commands, obey. Live each day by God’s grace.

As you do, He will transform your heart and fill it with inner glory.

The Outer Glory of a Godly Woman

Inner glory is the first priority, but God cares about our outward appearance, too. He instructed the priests of the Old Testament to have very specific, holy garments “for glory and for beauty.” (Exodus 28:2) The Proverbs 31 woman was clothed with silk and purple (Proverbs 31:22). How can we cultivate our outer glory as godly women?

First, we can wear beautiful, appropriate garments. The Bible teaches us to dress modestly to avoid being a temptation and distraction to our brothers in Christ. However, we have liberty to choose colors, styles, and fabrics that are pleasing and attractive. Rich red, soft white, and sky blue–these colors reflect the beauty of creation. And feminine, attractive garments can enhance our outer glory. As we seek God and ask advice from godly older woman, we can find balance in our wardrobes and glorify God with our clothing choices.

Next, it is important to be good stewards of our bodies. As godly women, we should exercise to stay strong and beautiful (Proverbs 31:17). We should wear our hair in a feminine, attractive style. Whether or not we choose to wear makeup, we need to practice good skin care and always wear the best cosmetic: a radiant smile. To cultivate our outer beauty, we need to be disciplined. Beauty takes time and effort. But it is well worth the effort to honour and glorify God as His ambassadors.

Why does God give us glory and beauty?

God gave us beauty so we can glorify Him. God calls His daughters to both inner and outer glory. He wants us to shake off the fetters of sin and walk in freedom. And He calls us to radiant purity and holiness of life. Then our inner glory will show the world that we are His children.

God also calls us to outer glory. He doesn’t expect us to wear drab grey, ankle-length smocks. Instead, we can dress beautifully and modestly. We can take care of our bodies, hair, and skin to cultivate outer beauty. As we do so, our outer glory will reflect our lovely Father.

By God’s grace, let us be women of glory.