Why Christianity Is More Than Cultural Aesthetics
Christianity is having a “moment.”
Pastel Bible tabs. Matching highlighters. Worship playlists on your Pinterest board. Aesthetic flat-lays of open journals and iced coffee. And listen, I love a pretty notebook and a color-coded Bible as much as the next girl. I literally built an entire corner of the Internet around it. But somewhere along the way, the look of faith started replacing the life of faith.
We began curating Christianity instead of carrying Christianity. And this post isn’t to shame anyone. It’s not to gatekeep what faith “should” look like. It’s just a gentle reminder, a hand on your shoulder, that following Jesus goes deeper than a matching highlight palette and a cute page spread.
It has to. Because a pretty Bible won’t sustain you in a spiritual battle. Aesthetic Christianity won’t hold you together when the bottom falls out. And your walk with Jesus needs more than vibes to stay standing in a world that’s shaking.
So let’s talk about what real faith looks like, the kind that’s lived, not just photographed.
1. Christianity Was Never Meant to Be a Vibe
We live in a culture that loves to look spiritual but hates to surrender. We want comfort, not conviction. We want inspiration, not transformation. We want a Savior… but not always a Lord.
But Jesus didn’t invite us into an aesthetic. He invited us into a death-and-resurrection kind of life.
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
— Matthew 16:24
Faith is not supposed to fit neatly on your Instagram grid. It’s supposed to change your actual life. And sometimes that change looks messy, inconvenient, slow, confusing, or un-postable. That doesn’t make it less holy. It makes it real.
2. God Isn’t After Your Aesthetic — He’s After Your Heart
If the outside looks put-together but the inside is falling apart, Jesus isn’t impressed. He’s compassionate. He’s not scrolling through your highlight colors. He’s searching your heart.
He cares about:
your surrender
your obedience
your healing
your repentance
your hunger for Him
your willingness to follow Him when no one is watching
He cares about what you’re building in secret far more than what you’re posting online.
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at.
People look at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7
Your heart > your highlight colors.
Always.
3. Real Christianity Changes the Way You Live
Christianity isn’t a personality trait. It isn’t a mood board. It isn’t an identity you put on with your outfit. Real Christianity interferes with your life in the best way.
It asks you to forgive when you’d rather hold a grudge.
It asks you to choose purity when temptation feels louder.
It asks you to love people you don’t like.
It asks you to tell the truth when lying would be easier.
It asks you to trust God when you don’t understand what He’s doing.
It asks you to surrender control you never had in the first place.
This is the stuff that grows you. This is the stuff that strengthens you. This is the stuff that turns “aesthetic Christianity” into authentic Christianity.
4. The Enemy Doesn’t Fear Your Aesthetic… He Fears Your Obedience!
The enemy isn’t intimidated by:
your Bible stickers
your highlighters
your color-coded notes
your cute worship playlist
But he is absolutely threatened by:
a woman who prays when she’s discouraged
a woman who opens her Bible when she feels nothing
a woman who repents quickly
a woman who refuses to compromise
a woman who keeps worshiping even while waiting
a woman who knows what Scripture actually says, not just what Instagram says about it
Aesthetic Christianity is lovely. Obedient Christianity is powerful.
5. Yes — You Can Love Aesthetics and Love Jesus
This is not an anti-aesthetic blog post. God is a God of beauty. He designed color. He created creativity. He invented detail.
You can love pretty things and still be deeply grounded in the Word. You can enjoy the visuals while pursuing the truth. The danger isn’t the aesthetic itself. The danger is when the aesthetic becomes the foundation.
Your relationship with Jesus needs roots, not just a color palette.
6. How to Move From Aesthetic Faith to Authentic Faith
Here are simple, honest steps:
1. Read the Bible for transformation, not just decoration.
Even if it’s just one verse a day — let it read you, not just the page.
2. Pray when it’s awkward, short, messy, or quiet.
Prayer doesn’t need to be aesthetic to be effective.
3. Get honest with God.
Tell Him where you’re struggling, doubting, or drifting.
4. Surround yourself with Christians who sharpen you.
Not just people who match your vibe — people who challenge you biblically.
5. Build consistency, not perfection.
Your walk will grow through small daily obedience, not huge aesthetic moments.
7. The Heart of It All
Christianity is beautiful, but it’s not curated. It’s not meant to be polished. It’s not meant to be pretty all the time. It’s meant to be alive. A living, breathing relationship with the God who sees you, knows you, calls you, and transforms you. A God who isn’t asking you to post more; He’s asking you to seek more. A God who isn’t asking for your perfect pages; He’s asking for your surrendered life. A God who isn’t after your aesthetic, He’s after you.
Before You Go…
If you’re craving a deeper, realer walk with God, explore Write + Worship, my collection of journals, studies, and resources created to help you build roots that last longer than any aesthetic.
Your faith is worth building. Your foundation is worth strengthening. And Jesus is worth following with your whole heart.
