Romans 7:15
For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
The lament of dieters everywhere: 'But what I hate, that I do!' Then, after doing what we have vowed not to do, we turn the hate inward, and we are forced to deal with so much guilt. Why does dieting have to be so hard? Why can't we ever seem to have enough willpower to deal with all the temptations? The harder we try, the harder it gets. It's enough to drive a sane person crazy and a saint to sin. Praise God that He understands us so well and is ready to pick us up when we fall and set us back on the proper path. God is patient with us when we most need Him to be.
Today's thought: I will avoid the things I know I should not do!
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Whenever food comes into my mind and I have the strongest urges to cheat on my diet, I just close my eyes, clear my head, and try to think of all the wonderful blessings God has given me. I ask God to help me, and then I wait very quietly for Him to answer my humble plea. God has never failed me. In some of the toughest situations, I feel His gentle presence, and my hunger and desire leave me. In the quiet times of our lives God comes the closest, because we do not shove Him aside with other concerns. Call upon God, then wait. He will come.
Today's thought: If I keep my mouth shut, food can't get in!
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
My mother cut out all between-meal snacks whenever weight became a problem for my sisters or me. She kept careful watch on us, to make sure our weight didn't get out of control. I resented it when I was young, but I sure appreciate it now. How wonderful it was to know that someone was watching out for me, making sure I didn't give in to fattening temptations. God will do that for us if we let Him. He will twinge our consciences when we do what we should not, and we need to see that as a blessing rather than a curse. By heeding the voice within, we can conquer temptation and lose weight.
Today's thought: God sees every fattening move I make!
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.
In centuries past, people went without food in order to break their willful spirits. Certain individuals knew they were too concerned with worldly things, and they wanted to humble themselves, so they went without food. A person who hungers loses conceit and cockiness very quickly. God wants us to have a spirit of lowliness and meekness. He wants us to shape our wills to His, and He wants us to be patient in all that we do. Dieting makes us very dependent. We are vulnerable, and we need someone to lean on. Thankfully, we have the Lord to lean on, who will bear our full weight, and never let us down.
Today's thought: I'd rather put on patience than put on weight!
1 Kings 17:8-9
And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, 'Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.'
Consider the prophet Elijah. The Lord told him to go to the town of Zarephath, where he was to wait for further guidance from God. Elijah waited there three years before the word came! How many of us would have such patience? Our dieting period often seems long, but in comparison with what so many others have had to go through, the time is really quite short. Committed people have always found a special source of patience and courage to get them through any situation. The source of their remarkable faith is the Lord, who makes all things possible.
Today's thought: I will make a little last a long, long time!
John 14:1
'Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.'
The days will come when we question whether or not we will ever lose the weight we want to. Frustration can set in, and when it does, it makes us feel like such failures. Jesus' disciples found themselves feeling like failures at times in their lives. It was on those occasions that Jesus offered them the most comfort. Jesus understood human nature perfectly, and He came to let us know everything will work out fine. Turn to Christ when feelings of failure get strong. Our Lord of love and peace will not let us feel badly for long. His love truly conquers all.
Ephesians 4:22
. . .put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.
Fat people aren't bad people. Sometimes we feel inferior just be-cause we happen to be overweight. It doesn't matter whether we're a few pounds over weight or a lot of pounds overweight; when we're too heavy, it makes us feel bad. Obesity isn't a sin in itself, but often it is the result of sin. Gluttony, sloth, laziness; these things can lead to obesity, and they are sinful behaviors. When we decide to put off these wrong behaviors, we set ourselves on the path that pleases God. Change takes time, but the rewards are always worth the effort.
Today's thought: There's more to a new me than just losing weight.
James 1:3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
When you get really serious about losing weight, you have no alternative but to develop patience. There are no safe, quick ways to lose a lot of weight. It takes time. The body takes a long time to build up, and it takes a long time to wear down. However, the person who sticks with her diet will be amazed to find that the longer it's adhered to, the easier it gets. A time comes when the diet is no big deal. In many cases, people find they prefer their diet to their former way of eating. Patience is an elusive trait, but once it is attained, it is its own reward.
Today's thought: Patience would be a lot easier if it didn't take so long to get.
Philippians 3:20
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
After Michelle promised Susan she would diet with her, she im-mediately began to regret it. All Susan did was talk about food. Susan had a one-track mind, and she made dieting so much harder for Michelle. Michelle constantly tried to change the direction of their conversations, but Susan always managed to bring the topic back to food. Finally, Michelle told Susan that if she didn't stop, she would no longer be able to be a diet partner with her. The two worked together and found that with some effort, they could steer clear of caloric conversation.
Today's thought: Lord, turn my mind away from the pleasures of my tummy!
Ecclesiastes 7:8
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
It doesn't take a genius to agree that the end of a diet is a lot better than the beginning. Oh, how wonderful it will be to finally reach the goal we set for ourselves, to finish this time of trial, temptation, and struggle! The Lord rejoices when we triumph in the pursuits of our everyday lives. He longs to see us happy and fulfilled. Pray to the Lord that He might bring you to the finish of your weight-loss program. He is faithful to stand beside us, granting the patience we need in all situations so we might finish victorious. Praise the Lord!
Today's thought: This day means I am one day closer to the end of my diet!
Isaiah 25:9
And it shall be said in that day, 'Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.'
Barry was a clock-watcher. Instead of occupying himself in activities that would help the time pass more quickly, Barry chose to do nothing. He waited for things to happen, and as a result, he found himself continually nervous and anxious. Barry was never satisfied with the normal course of events. If we approach our diets with the same attitude as Barry, they will be torture for us. Ask God to help channel our attention to other things. Take control and find ways to get the mind on other things. When we wait patiently, engaged in things that are interesting and enjoyable, then we will find the wait is so much shorter.
Today's thought: There are a lot of things more interesting than food!
Ephesians 5:15-16
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
A friend of mine always said, 'If we would only spend time doing what we know we should, there wouldn't be any time left over to do the things we know we shouldn't.' Simple truth, but hard truth to follow. When we diet, it is helpful to engage in activities that will prevent us from having the time to eat or even think about food. One person I knew joined a number of volunteer organizations, just so he would be too busy to eat all the time. We need to redeem the time that we spend in fattening endeavors, and turn instead to activities that are pleasing to God.
Today's thought: The busier I keep myself, the thinner I get!
Luke 6:25
'Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.'
As Christians, we need to keep in mind that we live in a world of terrible inequality. While we have the opportunities to overeat and overindulge, many people have no such chances. So many people starve. It is surely humbling to realize that much of our obesity comes from living in a culture where we can have pretty much all we want. The Lord Jesus Christ chastised the people of His day who were filled with the good things of life, because they ignored their brothers and sisters who had nothing. As we diet and feel the hunger in our stomachs, we are more aware of the feelings of our neighbors around the world who do not have enough to eat.
Today's thought: Make me less, Lord: less body, less selfishness, less ego!
Matthew 6:25
'Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?'
When I began to diet, I realized how much of my time was spent with something to eat or drink in my hands. Before the diet, I had something in one hand or the other almost all the time. I used to spend a lot of time thinking about where I would eat, what I would eat, and how much I would eat. Food was an idol in my life. How foolish it is to live like that! There are so many things in life that are more important. Spend time in prayer and contemplation, asking the Lord to open the eyes of your heart to all the wonderful things you have missed for so long.
Today's thought: I want my life to be much more than food and drink!
Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Patience gained during the diet is something well worth holding onto after the diet ends. How many people have lamented that they lost weight only to gain it back again. It is so silly to allow such a thing to happen. We struggle so hard to take weight off; why would we ever let it find a home on us again? Dieting frees us from the imprisonment of a fleshy jail. Once free from that, we should never return. Ask the Lord for strength and determination, so that once we liberate ourselves from fat, we may not be taken prisoner again!
Today's thought: I will not stand for slavery to flesh and fat!
