2 Timothy 2:12
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.
Jesus Christ arose from the dead, glorified and renewed. Before He could ascend to this glory, He had to suffer many things. Much in this life requires sacrifice and suffering before we can attain it. Ask any dieter. The road to thinness is a rugged one. Be-fore we can stand up trimmer and healthier, we must buck up and buckle down. There is very little that is pleasant about dieting, except the end result. Jesus Christ understands what it means to sacrifice better than we ever can. By our sufferings we draw closer to Christ. One day we will reign with Him.
Today's thought: The power of Christ lifts me above all suffering!
Hebrews 13:6
So that we may boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'
In a prison camp, the people were starved for long periods of time. One man seemed unaffected by the treatment he received. While others complained about how hungry they were, this one man stood by silently. Finally, he was asked why he seemed to be doing so well while the others all suffered so. He replied, 'I will not let my captors get the better of me. No matter what they do, they will not wear me down. I am the Lord's, and no one else has any power over my life. Men may take away my food, but only God can truly sustain me.'
Today's thought: The need for bread is all in the head!
1 Peter 3:13
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
Watch out! There are a lot of people who would take advantage of us, just because we are vulnerable. When we decide to lose weight, we find ourselves weak and looking for easy answers. Unscrupulous doctors, slick marketing gimmicks, and shyster con artists make promises and products purely for profit. They feed on poor people who want nothing more than the easiest way to take off pounds. Thank goodness we have a source of strength to resist such come-ons. God will protect us from running off after gimmicks and tricks. He is the true answer and the only way to succeed in everything we do.
Today's thought: No human plan or gimmick comes close to God's plan!
Isaiah 55:12
For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Our God is a God with a plan for His creation. Everything was created for a reason. God created us in His image, and His plan for us is to live a full, joyful, creative existence. We can best do this by keeping ourselves fit and trim and healthy. God rejoices, as does all His creation, when we live up to the potential He created in each one of us. When we succeed in our dieting attempts, we take a step toward fulfilling our purpose in life, and we go forth in joy and peace which passes any earthly joy or peace. Praise the Lord.
Today's thought: Thank you, Lord, for bringing me this far!
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
It seemed like forever before any weight came off. Gerri had cut way back on her food intake and exercised daily. It had been frustrating to step up on the scales day after day to find no real change. She stuck with the diet despite her despair, and now four weeks into the program it was paying off. People were beginning to notice the difference in her. What had seemed so painfully slow, one pound every few days, had finally added up, and she was thrilled. Waiting a little while had paid off, waiting a little more didn't seem nearly as hard.
Today's thought: I can take this diet one day at a time!
Ecclesiastes 3:1
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
There are times in our lives when a diet may be easier than at other times. In times of stress or tragedy, it may be impossible for us to lose weight. Diets take concentration and commitment. Things may come up to cause us to fall away from our diets, but we need to get started again as soon as possible. Just because we fail once doesn't mean we will fail every time. Pray for God's help and guidance. He will be faithful to help us through the tough times and the times we fail. God will make our way easier through His companionship and comfort.
Today's thought: There is no better time to diet than right now!
Psalm 37:7
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Is there anything worse than skinny people who act as if dieting were no big deal? It is so difficult to hear others criticize our efforts when they have absolutely no idea what we are going through. However, we need to understand that the comments of those who don't understand us really shouldn't affect us. The Lord loves us as we are, and He truly does understand the struggles we grapple with. He has compassion on His children, and He will deal with those who are cruel or unthinking in their dealings with us. Listen to the Lord, not to others who don't know us nearly as well.
Today's thought: Beware skinny people with fat mouths!
Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Leah was still terribly overweight. She had tried dozens of diets, none of which had made an impact. She attended church regularly, and she prayed continually for God to help her with her problem. She realized that she wasn't ready deep down inside, so she often ignored the voice of her conscience and the comfort of her prayers. Leah lived from day to day asking God's forgiveness and resolving to try harder in the future. She told her friends, 'When I'm ready, I know God will be there, and I know He will help me lose all the weight I need to.'
Today's thought: Lord, make me ready to lose weight!
Psalm 40:1
I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Leah was not the kind of woman to just make excuses. When she said that God would help her when she was ready to let Him, she wasn't just copping out. A day came when Leah really needed and wanted to lose weight, and she did it. Though it was hard, Leah stuck to her diet, and she gave most of the credit to God. She had lived for years wishing that she could be thin. Only after trying and failing many times was she able to succeed. Waiting on the Lord can be tiring and defeating. However, no one knows us like God does, and if we can wait, He will always do what is best for us.
Today's thought: Our best effort will always include God.
Ephesians 4:1-2
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.
Temper: It seems that the longer you diet, the shorter it gets. Keeping control of our temper is one of the harder parts of dieting. We feel everyone has some word of advice on what we ought to do differently, that no one really understands what we're going through, and no one appreciates all that we do without. It's no wonder we find ourselves a little short-tempered at times. That's when we need to turn to the source of all patience and peace. If Christ is allowed to rule in our hearts, we will find a new depth of tolerance and forbearance.
Today's thought: Losing weight is no excuse for losing patience!
Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Jeff made his living as a night watchman at a large company. He sat for hours at a console that housed a bank of television screens. For his efforts, he pulled a sizable paycheck. Many of Jeff's friends criticized him for getting so much for doing nothing. His reply, 'Hey, if they're willing to pay it, why shouldn't I get it?' Too often people look for ways of getting something for nothing. As God's children, we should always be looking for ways to be the best people we can be, not cutting corners, but committing ourselves to the pursuit of God's pleasure.
Today's thought: Today I will be the best dieter I can be!
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!
