4 tools to COMBAT temptation.
Have you ever been so determined to lose weight that you GO ALL IN on your chosen weight loss program, you buy all of the things, read the book, flag all of the recipes and you even prep your meals? But THEN, you hit a bump in the road, and you are face to face with a serious temptation!
Perhaps you were ill-prepared, tired or simply not expecting to be faced with the meatball sandwich that suddenly sounds & smells irresistible. And then you eat it. Only to then feel guilt. And shame and self-loathing frustration. Has that ever happened to you? If you’re like me, you get INTO this hamster wheel and you feel like you can never get out. It’s always the same wheel, just a different diet. You might find yourself nodding your head at this point and relating to all of this. Or you may have a different dilemma, one where you can’t even prepare the food or get yourself organized. Whatever your limitation is, the answer is God. Here’s what you need to know. God is stronger than your temptation. Whether your temptation is to sit on the couch and NOT meal prep, or to give into every cheesecake you see, God is the answer. Now, get your pen out because I’m going to share with you how I coach my clients through this, and the tools I share for them to combat their worst temptations. (Be it laziness, an inability to cook or a strong craving for food). The following 4 things will help you combat temptation WITH GOD. (These are the Seeker tools that I share in The Seekers Method weight loss program.)
1. Look up Matthew 26:41.
In this scripture, Jesus TELLS us WHAT to do: KEEP WATCH.
As a Seeker, “keep watch” means to PLAN your week & your weaknesses. You’ve met yourself so you KNOW when you need food, how you like to eat it, and with some degree of accuracy, whether or not you need to be prepared for a temptation ahead.
2. HOW to do it: He tells us is in this scripture is to PRAY.
This is essential. God wants to be invited to this battle. When you see that temptation, that you either planned for or didn’t plan for, PRAY. Pray for God to give you the strength to say no to it. And then…here’s the noteworthy part; expect your prayer to be heard! If you’re going to pray it; expect it! The only way to activate your faith EVEN in weight loss is to pray over your struggles. Temptation is a struggle! Jesus and Eve BOTH experienced temptation with food. Eve gave into the temptation. Jesus spoke GODS WORD to it! Whose example will you follow, Eve’s or Jesus’?
3. Why: Jesus tells us WHY we should keep watch & pray. We pray to AVOID the temptation. This isn’t just me, some random coach, telling you to do this. Matthew 26:41 says to pray so that you won’t give in to the temptation. This doesn’t just apply to stealing, or lying, or getting angry. God never intended for you to come to him for hard things, but to combat your food temptations alone. Your weightless journey isn't exempt from your faith.
4. Where: IN YOUR SPIRIT; NOT YOUR BODY. In my heart, I know that this applies to us with food. Our bodies are WEAK against the temptations of our foods. Our hormones are STRONG and powerful, and we are weakened because of them. Other contributing variables are also at play: habits, cravings, influences, social encouragement, comfort, stress, fatigue, pride, stress, did I say habit? Another variable exists against our bodies too. And that is the enemy. So, the way to OVERCOME TEMPTATION is to KEEP ALERT & PRAY. When you are alert it means you are BEING aware of the possibilities of temptation, you’re sensitive to the subtleties, and spiritually equipped to fight them. Because temptation strikes where we are most vulnerable, food, food stories, habits, hormones, etc., we cannot resist alone. Prayer is essential because God’s strength can shore up our defenses and defeat Satan’s power…even in weight loss!
I encourage you to plan your week of food, to plan your weaknesses with food, to pray constantly for strength for obedience and against temptation. And then, combat the temptations, in any form, from your Spirit. Our flesh is weak, so don't do this weight loss journey IN your flesh. Do it from your Spirit. Where you connect with God. Change your body with your Spirit.
If you would like to be coached in this area of your life, and you're ready to activate your faith at a WHOLE NEW LEVEL, then consider enrolling in The Seekers method for weight loss. Enrollment information is on my website and the doors are NOT open year-round. I only open the doors when it's time to start another 90-day cycle. And when enrollment opens, I lead a small group of women through all of the phases of stepping OUT of a dieter’s mentality, and INTO a Seekers mentality. Inside the Seekers Method, you are given REAL TOOLS, just like the tools I shared here, to help you become YOUR OWN weight loss coach. It is my belief that you only need to activate your faith and learn how to walk in the Spirit so that you can be coached in the Spirit through your own weight loss journey. Consider joining the Seekers Method today, while the doors are open (click to find out). You may find yourself joining the Seekers Method to lose weight, only to find yourself gaining a new life!