And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.
The growl of his stomach sounded like a ferocious beast. He felt light-headed and nervous. He kept telling himself that he couldn't really be hungry; it was just his imagination. The gnawing hunger would not abate. Before long he just felt like crying. As much as he wanted to lose weight, he just couldn't face the beast that growled in his midsection. In disgust, he pushed away from his desk and headed out to eat. A hard part of dieting is showing our stomach who is boss. When our stomachs rule, we lose. Turn to the Lord when weakness sets in. He will see us through.
Today's thought: I'm not letting my stomach push me around anymore!
Deuteronomy 31:8
And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Sylvia was such a support. She really did know what the other women were going through. Not so long ago, Sylvia had weighed well over two hundred pounds. If anyone had earned the right to speak, it was Sylvia. Somehow it made it easier having someone around who was both sympathetic to the struggle and had been successful. Sylvia was indeed a blessing. It does help to have others around who have been down the road we are walking. These people can be a great source of comfort and courage. Thank God that these examples exist for us to follow. The Lord will not fail us.
Today's thought: I have no fear of failure, for the Lord is with me!
Matthew 28:20
'teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' Amen.
A friend of mine fasts regularly, and to my astonishment, he never complains or seems to be the least bit ruffled by the experience. For myself, I find that fasting changes my whole disposition. I asked him his secret once, and he said, 'It's no secret, really. All I do is pretend that the empty feeling in my stomach is really the Holy Spirit moving around, making itself comfortable inside. That way, the gnawing isn't unpleasant but it's quite comforting to think that God is so very close.' I tried to follow my friend's advice, and it has worked wonders for me. Try it today.
Today's thought: I will let my hunger turn my mind to God!
Psalm 50:15
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Jim's watch alarm beeped as the clock struck four. It sounded every hour and every half hour. I turned to him and asked him what he had set so many alarms for. 'I'm on a diet. Every time my watch goes off, I take a moment to say a prayer to God. It may sound crazy, but it has made this the easiest diet I've ever tried. It calms me down and gets my mind off food for awhile. I feel like I've got a partner, and you know, it's always easier to do something when you don't have to do it alone.'
Today's thought: I can be brave during the tough times, because God is with me!
1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.
'God just doesn't want me to lose weight!' said Stephanie. 'Each time I try, I fail. If God really wants me to lose weight, He'd help me.' Many people feel just like Stephanie. They think God isn't helping them because they aren't successful in their diets. The problem is that they want God to take the weight from them. That simply isn't the way God works. Instead, we need to know that He will work through us to make us strong enough to face the challenges and trials that await us. We take heart in knowing that God will not let us down and He will work with us all the way.
Today's thought: God will grant me courage that will not run out!
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
All her life she had tried to kid herself and say she didn't really have a weight problem. To admit she was fat would have been to admit that she needed to change her habits. She wasn't ready for that. Then her closest and dearest friend had a heart attack. It really scared her and forced her to look at the truth. She was fat, and nothing could change that fact unless she did something about it. It took a lot of courage to face the truth, but it seemed like a lot less courage than facing a possible heart attack. With God's help, she knew she could face the truth and change for the better.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Confidence. There are days when we feel we don't even know the meaning of the word. It is hard to stay confident when we feel so weak. It is important that we realize where confidence comes from. Our confidence comes from the Lord. It comes from no-where else. All we need do is look at the example of our blessed Lord, and we will see that He alone gives the kind of strength necessary to meet every challenge. The things He overcame cause our dieting efforts to pale in comparison. If Christ is truly our Lord and Master, then we will have confidence enough to succeed.
Today's thought: I am sure to lose weight because of Christ in me!
Isaiah 65:24
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
When we feel the weakest and most vulnerable, then is the time to turn to God. God knows what we are up against, even before we call upon Him. There is no one who cares more about how we feel and how we do than God does. He is our staunchest supporter. He also realizes how difficult it is to face our diets alone. He waits for us to call on Him, but He will not force Himself on us until we call. When we do call, He will act quickly to help us, since He already knows what it is we will be asking. Don't hesitate! Call on God when you need Him most.
Today's thought: I am never out from under Gods' watchful eye!
Psalm 138:7
Thought I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
I went through a terrible time when I first started dieting. Every once in awhile, I would get light-headed and my knees would buckle. It was not only embarrassing, but a bit frightening. When I spoke to the doctor about it, he told me it was just my mind playing tricks on me. He said my stomach was 'mad at me' for taking away its extra food. I didn't need as much food, but psychologically, I wanted it. I left the doctor and went out to my car to pray. Whenever I felt the light-headedness start to creep in, I asked the Lord to revive me, and He did!
Today's thought: God is all the pick-me-up I need!
1 Peter 3:14
But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.
If the example of Jesus teaches us anything, it should be that suffering is a noble and good thing when it leads to a better way. Our diets are definitely the source of suffering, but there is great blessing awaiting all who stick with them. God has promised special blessing to those who keep courage in the face of suffering and don't give in. Losing weight not only makes us look and feel better, but it draws us closer to God and His divine plan for us. Our suffering is not in vain. It is all to the glory of the Lord.
Today's thought: I will fear nothing, as long as Jesus is with me!
Genesis 28:15
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
When I was little, I just hated to be alone. I was afraid of being by myself. When my family got a dog, it made my fear go away. There was never a time when I was alone again. Just having some other presence with me made a huge difference. Now that I'm grown up I still have a constant companion who will never leave me alone. That companion is God. No matter what I do, I know I am not alone in the endeavor. My diet is no exception. When I feel the most alone, I just rely on the support of the Lord, and He gives me strength beyond measure.
Today's thought: God helps us to be the best we can be!
2 Chronicles 15:2
'. . .The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.'
In this day and age, promises are made easily and just as easily broken. We promise ourselves that we are going to lose weight, then we turn around and cheat at every possible chance. For this reason, we ought to include God in our diets. Whereas we might break promises that we make to ourselves, we stand a much better chance of keeping the promises we make to God. When we break promises to ourselves, we have no one to answer to, but when we break our promises to God, He expects us to explain. Promising God that we will lose weight makes dieting much easier.
Today's thought: I will lose weight for God's sake!
Proverbs 1:33
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Jesus faced many terrible experiences in His lifetime. The Bible tells of many incidents where crowds of people sought to kill our Lord. Whenever the pressures got too great, Jesus withdrew and spent time in prayer. That is an important lesson for us to learn. There will be times when the pressures build up while we try to lose weight. When the pressures get too much for us to handle, we should turn to the Lord in prayer. He will comfort us, strengthen us, and give us the courage we need to face every new day.
Today's thought: Jesus will take my mind off my diet!
Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Will the diet ever end? That question gets asked an awful lot. What starts out as a good idea soon becomes torture. Giving up seems to be such a good idea. It's at those times that we need the most strength. We need something to pull us through the really tough times. The love of God is just what we need. God will give us strength and courage and will help us fight off the temptation to quit. Call upon the Lord, and He will uphold you, He will strengthen you, He will stay with you, no matter how tough the diet gets.
Today's thought: If I can make it through the tough times, I can make it through anything!
2 Corinthians 5:6
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.
David had never been able to stick to a diet. He had tried a number of times, but nothing seemed to help him lose weight. Then he met Jennifer. She was cute, and friendly, and thin. David was suddenly more ashamed of the way he looked than he had ever been before. He began a new diet, and this one worked. David's whole personality changed. He gained a new confidence and strength of will. What we struggle with at one point becomes easy when we receive the right incentive. With God as our incentive, we can do wonders. Without God, we are helpless. With God, we can do all things.
Today's thought: I will make sure to keep God close by all day!
