2 Corinthians 4:16
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
It is interesting how we feel so much better about ourselves when we lose weight. As the fleshy part of our being diminishes, the spiritual part of us blossoms. As we decrease our body mass, we find that we unburden hidden parts of our being. We are renewed inside as we take care of the bodies we have been given by God. It is not a matter of being perfect, but of being the best we can possibly be. If we will only keep in mind that we are temples of the most high God, then we will be encouraged to do everything in our power to look and be the best that we are able.
Today's thought: As there is less of me, there is more of God!
Matthew 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;' it shall be done.'
Most people like to feel they are in control of their lives. When they are manipulated or made to feel helpless, they rebel and fight with everything they can. Funny how many of the same people are people who refuse to be ruled by their passions. They ask themselves, 'What would Jesus have me do and be?' rather than leaping into situations without any forethought. Christ should be the only Ruler of our lives, and when we turn all power over to Him, miraculous things begin to happen.
Today's thought: The same power that withers figs can wither fat!
Ephesians 6:16
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
When we diet, we need protection. We really do. Dieting puts us in a very vulnerable position. We are weakened, frustrated, irritable, guilty, and a hundred other things that stir us up constantly. We need a shield to guard us from the onslaught of so many difficult emotions and feelings. The Lord provides us with the shield we need through faith. Believing in a God who cares for us and stands beside us is a great comfort and a very real help in our times of need. God will not let us struggle alone. He is our refuge, our shield against the worst our diets can do to us.
Today's thought: Oh, Lord, please protect me from me!
Romans 12:3
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
There were three young men who found they were in need of help from their fathers. The first young man went to his father, but his father told him he didn't deserve any help. The second young man went to his father, but he was told he could have only so much help, then no more. The last young man went to his father, and he was given all the help he needed, and then some. The father let his son know that no matter how much he needed, he could always come to him. Our Father in heaven is like the third father. We need much help in getting through our diets, and we can know through faith that God will always be there to provide us with what we need.
Today's thought: The more I give up, the more God gives!
1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
One thing would really make dieting easier: Knowing what the results are actually going to look like. When we diet, we have to hold onto some image we have created in our own minds. Perhaps it is an image crafted from an old picture, or a memory of what we looked like so many years ago. Still, there is no tangible goal we can point to and say, 'That is what I will look like when I lose weight.' We have to live in hope of something we want, and hope can be scary. Ask God to help you. He will enable us to believe in what we imagine, even when we can't always see it in reality.
1 John 3:2-3
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Sometimes we fool ourselves into believing that to be like Jesus means to act like Him or think like Him or pray like Him, and we ignore that we should try to look like Him, too. We don't know that Jesus was thin, but we can be confident that He was not overweight, because He preached moderation and denounced gluttony. He cared for Himself, and He called others to care for themselves, also. How wonderful it would be to be able to stand face-to-face with our Lord and to mirror Him in both His spiritual and physical perfection!
Today's thought: When people look at me, I want them to see Jesus!
Psalm 71:5
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
A friend of mine slipped into a well when he was a child, and all he remembers of the experience was praying to God and awaiting rescue. He recounts how he felt no fear because he knew God would get him out of his trouble. He placed his hope in the Lord, and he was not disappointed. Being overweight can sometimes feel like being in the bottom of a deep, dark well, with no way out. But we do have a way out. The Lord is a lifeline and a Savior indeed. If we will place our trust in Him, He will be faithful to lift us out of the dark places and set us fully in the light.
Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
There will be those days when we feel we're never going to lose any weight. No matter what we do, the pounds stick with us, and we begin to feel foolish for ever supposing we could lose weight. We find ourselves ashamed for believing that we can lose weight and ashamed at having such defeatist thoughts. It's a very hard position to be in. Luckily, we never really have to feel ashamed of the things we try to do that are good and right. Even though we sometimes lose heart, we still have the love and support of the Lord, who will strengthen us and guide us through His Spirit.
Today's thought: I'm proud of what I'm trying to do!
1 Peter 1:13
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Fighters have to prepare for their bouts in every way possible. They train for a long time, working toward physical perfection. They eat properly, they rest regularly, they follow the instruction of their trainers closely, and they psych themselves up. Psyching entails a preparation of the mind that equals the preparation of the body. Dieters need that kind of mental preparation. As the Scripture says, we must 'gird up the loins' of our minds. We are fighters against fatness, and the only way we can hope to be victorious is to prepare ourselves completely, day by day, in body, spirit, and mind.
Today's thought: I'm ready for a good fight against fat!
Luke 5:12
And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, 'Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.'
Being overweight can sometimes feel like having leprosy. Fatness sets us apart from others and makes us feel different. We feel like outcasts, rejected by our 'thin is in' society. Our greatest hope comes to us through the power of the Lord, who is willing to help us in every way possible in our attempts to lose weight. Like the man full of leprosy, all we need do is stretch out our hands to Jesus, and He will make us clean. We do not have to live as outcasts, but are full members of the glorious family of our Lord, and He is waiting to welcome us.
Today's thought: Fitness, as well as cleanliness, is next to godliness.
Luke 5:12
And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, 'Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.'
Being overweight can sometimes feel like having leprosy. Fatness sets us apart from others and makes us feel different. We feel like outcasts, rejected by our 'thin is in' society. Our greatest hope comes to us through the power of the Lord, who is willing to help us in every way possible in our attempts to lose weight. Like the man full of leprosy, all we need do is stretch out our hands to Jesus, and He will make us clean. We do not have to live as outcasts, but are full members of the glorious family of our Lord, and He is waiting to welcome us.
Today's thought: Fitness, as well as cleanliness, is next to godliness.
Matthew 9:28
And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, 'Believe ye that I am able to do this?' They said unto him, 'Yea, Lord.'
Doubt is a killer. It kills our enthusiasm, our faith, our hope, our initiative, and our dedication. When we begin to doubt that we can succeed in our diet attempts, we lose the most vital ingredient for success. You have to believe. In Scripture, Jesus often asked people if they believed He could do miracles. When they said yes, fantastic things happened, but when they said no, nothing happened. We need to say yes to God and believe He will bless all of our attempts to lose weight. With God on our side, there is absolutely no reason for doubt to affect us at all.
Today's thought: I'll try to believe, so more pounds will leave.
Hebrews 6:11-12
And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Dr. Davidson always had a policy with his patients who tried to lose weight. If he wanted them to lose twenty pounds, he told them they were to lose thirty. If they were to lose fifty pounds, he told them seventy-five. He knew that people would set their minds toward their goal, but that most of them would tire along the way. To counteract that, he always set a goal that was beyond what was actually necessary. Though people did indeed tire before they reached the goal Dr. Davidson set, they did not give up before they reached the point they really needed to attain. Sustaining our energy for a diet is hard, but with the hand of God guiding us, we can make it.
Today's thought: The only thing I will give up is weight!
1 Peter 1:8
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
When it's all over, we can hardly belive we struggled so much. The reward of losing weight is so great that it wipes out all the bad memories along the way. We experience such a sense of triumph and joy, accomplishment and goodwill. We feel a power from within that helps us believe that anything is possible to us, if we will only have patience, courage, and commitment. God has made us conquerors, and He empowers us to do those things which we set our minds and hearts too. When we live life in hope of glories to come and pursue those glories with everything we have, the Lord will reward us and bless us richly.
Today's thought: I may not see it yet, but a new me is right around the corner!
Psalm 33:18-19
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Hunger can be a terrible, terrible feeling. It is unbelievable that just being hungry can make us feel so sick and weak, but it does. We need to find ways to train our minds to ignore the pleadings of the stomach. We need to engage in activities that will occupy our minds and absorb us, so we won't think of the food we should not have. In days gone by, people used to carry a copy of the Gospels with them, and whenever they felt tempted to do what they knew they should not do, they pulled out the Bible and read Scriptures until the desire passed. God is a wonderful diversion to occupy ourselves with when temptations arise.
Today's thought: I'm not dying of hunger; it just feels that way!
