This is such an interesting thread. When I first read the title, I thought, "I don't know that I've ever felt that way," but then I read everyone's posts and I thought, "That is exactly what I am feeling."

It's a mixture between letting God down and myself down. I don't feel very lovable by God at this moment. And I don't think it's just because of my weight. I think I am not doing the best I can (in many aspects) so I am feeling bad about myself. It's hard to feel in tune with God when I am feeling so self-centered.

Hmmm, I need to re-examine some things in my life. A little discouraging, I have to admit.

Again, thanks everyone for your responses. Sorry for such a long lag in responding but my laptop decided to call it quits and I'm just now getting around to buy a new one.

I guess my discouragement is also coming from the fact that because I have so much weight to lose, it just seems overhelming - and then when I add on the other things that are going on that I struggle with, shoot talk about a mountain! lol

I love reading other people's success stories on here, espeically those that were where I was and have triumph. And even though in the back of mind there is a little voice that says " you can't do that " I do have to consciencely remind myself that what God does for one person, he can do for another.

It's so hard sometimes to keep in mind that our humanly "logical way" isn't God's way, kwim?

Be proud of who you are because God keeps a picture of you in His wallet!!

You have not let God down, work to make yourself healthier and remember God created you and is proud of his Children and love you unconditionally.

I don't feel so much let down but more confused about what he wants from me in this area. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want me to be obese but I don't know what he wants aside from that. I have so many health problems I feel like, geez, if I'm supossed to lose a bunch of weight why isn't he helping me out here? Is he trying to tell me that I'm too vain and my goals are silly and I should stop this ridiculous goal to be a really fit person? I don't know. I keep asking and I'm still not sure. I don't know if my health is something he wants me to fight through and reach my goal...or if he wants me to see that being a musclar, fit person is not at all important and I need to focus on something else. I have no clue at this point.

This is a very interesting thread. I know God loves me unconditionally and I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior. But I can still get wrapped up in my weight and think about it almost constantly and I don't think that is what God wants.

Letting God down?
 

Hi, I just joined. I'm a medical doctor who leads a Christian weight loss program in various churches, and who counsels patients on weight loss.

I totally agree with the wonderful posts these ladies made in response to your feelings about letting God down.

Yes, your body is His temple. But a temple is just a place where a person worships. The person inside the temple is what it's all about for God, not the temple itself. He loves you (the inner you, the essence of you) more than anything--certainly more than He cares about the size or shape of your physical body.

But here's the flip side. Being overweight can cause us to feel miserable and become distracted from God, even though God doesn't mind how we look. If that's the case (and it usually is), then Satan wins. The Liar makes us feel bad about ourselves, and makes us feel depressed and rejected by God. As a result, the Deceiver keeps us from carrying out the wonderful things God has planned for us.

So, anytime you start thinking that God judges your body, remember it's a LIE. The truth is God loves you, is merciful, and doesn't care how you look.

God bless you.

Rita Hancock MD

I just happened to go into this area of the website and the thread caught my eye. I personally do feel i let God down in a way...to the point that i dont go to church (its been at least 9 months) because i want to lose weight before i go back. How silly, right? I grew up in a church where all of my friends were super thin (100-120lbs tops) and i weighed like 140-150lbs. Thinking back i didnt like feeling like the fat girl then and i dont want to go back still being the fat the girl. I know I should totally just go back, but a little part of me (probably satan) is saying they're all going to laugh at you. How sad, huh..lol?

PenChick :hug: Please, don't wait to go back. No one is going to laugh at you or judge you! (If they do - find another church, FAST). We have all fallen short of God's glory in some way. For some of us, food has become an idol - for others - it is something else.

My church family is so supportive and helpful and I can't imagine trying to lose weight without them!

I will keep you in my prayers this week!

It's so nice to have people feel the same way I do. I'll eat something and soon after that I'll feel depressed about what I have eaten. I hate it and I really feel like this is influencing my relationship with God.

What a wonderful conversation you've all been having!! It helps me to see that I'm not the only one wondering & questioning myself & my relationship with God.

I 2nd the statement - go back to church now. don't wait to lose weight first or you may never go back & you'll forever question your spirituality & more importantly, God's purpose in your life.

As for the health problems related to being overweight - I, too, have been struggling with health problems due to my weight. Although I struggle with it everyday, I have discovered that regular exercise helps to reduce my pain (I have fibromyalgia & bursitis in several joints). I'm embarrassed to say, my impetus this time is an upcoming vacation to the Virgin Islands. However, I realize that this was provided as an incentive to me by God. He wants me to feel better/healthier & experience less pain so I'll quit judging myself & will be better able to do His work.

As I said, I struggle everday, almost every hour - however, I think it's important to have something that acts as an incentive for you. If it's being healthier, then post a picture of yourself when you were in a healthier state or a healthy person you'd like to emulate. Or - you might want to post a bible quote that "speaks" to you. There's one that several 3FCers have in their signature line.

Good Luck to all in your efforts to lose weight & be a healthier vessel to deliver God's message.

May God Bless & Keep you...

I myself have used food to fill those places in my heart that were meant to be filled by Him.
I would spend some time meditating on His word, especially scriptures that describe how he feels about you (maybe song of solomon) seems like we are our own worse enemies, we beat ourselves up while He stands there with open arms, asking for us to give him the pain, guilt, self-hatred etc.
I am working through many of these issues right now.
Every morning I have to give myself over to Him completely and pray for His mercy, and kindness to flood my soul. Somedays I feel as if I am taking small baby steps, but overall am heading in the right direction.

Sometimes God works in ways we can't understand, but today I read an article about this subject. The link was sent to me at work, and I don't have it here but it was about the beliefs of some that being overweight was letting God down and how there are so many ways of getting obese and overweight ranging from health problems to emotional problems and they are not sins.
I've been thinking about it and pondering you might say then I found this thread and thoughts just started coming. People who judge or accuse overweight people of not caring for their bodies which are Temples of God are very similar to the Pharases and Saduccees that Jesus denounced who were all about appearances. The belief in Biblical times was that birth deffects and diseases like leprosy were punishment for sins. Jesus let us know that God loves the imperfect and much as if not more than the perfect. What we need to do is ask Jesus for healing and the ability to accept and love ourselves as much as he does.

Ok, I'm climbing down from my pulpet, God Bless

I think the sin comes in when we turn to food instead of to God. Just like when we turn to shopping or sleeping or working or social esteem or whatever for our security and comfort. The human heart is an idol factory.

I think if we beat ourselves down about it, feeling miserable about how weak we are, how we never seem to change, etc., that can be the deceiver at work. But that can also be conviction of sin. In either case we repent and keep our eyes on Jesus, not on ourselves -- on His strength, comfort, power and redeeming love.

p.s.: While we do sin, child of God, we do not "let God down." God the Creator is outside of time -- when He formed you He knew all of your days. All of them, from beginning to end. And loves you.

This is truly the most heart touching thread I have ever read. I have felt so alone, during deaths with family members and my animal friends and often questioned God why, why? I have got angry with him because I just don't understand, but never stopped loving him. I have always thought of God as my best friend for he has always been there for me but never understood the death part. Not understanding that part of life, getting angry, I have felt like I have let him down. Not being able to help someone in loosing weight when I was a Leader, I felt like I let him down. Not being able to be there when someone needed someone, I felt like I have let him down. I truly love him and I don't like the feeling that I have let him down, but I have and I know it and I truly pray that he can find it in his heart to forgive me.

You probably believe God has a plan for us, right? Did you ever think you getting heavy was in the plan or else it wouldn't have happened? When we go through great trials, there's something in that experience we're supposed to take away from it. You may have been heavy to help give someone else hope when they see your weight loss. Your inspiration may very well be what gives someone else the motivation to save their own life. Don't lose perspective, if you are where you are, whether you like that place or not, you're there for a reason. The big confusion in life is we don't get to know all the reasons everything happens. Often, we have to wait for that puzzle piece to be revealed to us in time.