In 2005, after much begging and pleading to God, I decided to finally listen to him and do what he says – in regards to my weight. For the previous 5 years, I had been asking God to help me lose weight. He would tell me the same thing every time, and then I wouldn’t do it. Every time. I would cry, and whine and say how hard it is, and how I just couldn’t do it. “Maybe I’m not meant to be thin,” I would tell myself. “Or maybe I just need to accept that I’m just a bigger girl.” “The weight isn’t that bad, right?” These are all the lies I would accept to allow me to be comfortable in a situation that I secretly wished would change. Desperately.
So, five years later, after I was still not the weight I wanted, I felt it was time to include God a little more in this weight loss process. It couldn’t be any worse than it was previously. I decided to pray more. I found this online weight loss Bible Study (www.settingcaptivesfree.com) and it helped me to be more intentional about including God in my weight loss process. A friend of mine reached out to me about her weight loss struggles, and we supported each other in going to the gym a couple times a week. Things were getting better. And I started losing weight.
After 20 lbs. (I had about 40 more to go), all weight loss stopped. Nothing I was doing was no longer working. When I prayed and asked God what was wrong, he reminded me of what he wanted me to do originally (Eat when I was hungry, and stop when full). I felt sick in my stomach. “You still want me to do that,” I whined. “But God, that is so hard – why do I have to do that?” Another month went by and still no more weight loss. Ugh. I was at a crossroads. Either I was going to listen to God or I was going to continue to do what I wanted to do and be overweight.
In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus instructs his followers to ask and seek after God, and trust that he will give good gifts to us – just as we would want our earthly fathers to do. God is trying to give many of you good gifts in regards to some of the things you want in your life. He wants to answer your prayer. He wants to help meet your need. He wants to help you lose weight. God is for you – not against you. God is FOR you. Here is the problem: We won’t listen and obey him. And without obedience, we won’t see the changes we seek.
It took me awhile to fully understand this and recognize how my obedience to God impacts my weight. A long time. But, eventually, I could not ignore it anymore. I wanted to lose weight. So, I had a decision to make. Was I going to listen? As you all know, I did decide to listen. Finally. And when I say God kept his promise, and provided me a good gift, I mean every word. My job was to believe him. My job was to do my best to seek him and listen to what he would say. And He changed my heart, made me want to do the things I thought I couldn’t ever do. He did it.
What is God telling you to do?
From one weight struggler to another – in faith and trust, do it. Take a risk. Trust him. He won’t fail you. I will continue to pray for you as you journey forward.
Proverbs 3:5-12
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.