The way I lost my weight through seeking God still absolutely amazes me.
As a Christian I tried losing weight, nearly void of God really, by constantly “doing all the things” even though I didn’t like to or want to. And, slowly I built up faith in my diet and exercise program and then in Myself. I really didn’t even need God. Because I was unstoppable… at least when I was motivated. And in that, I had support from everybody because it was normal to chase that number on the scale, and it is Just what we do when we’re seeking to lose weight. But I was not enjoying the journey. And God, at that time, wasn’t a concern or a thought in my life. My focus was only on my goals. And it was only on what I could do to achieve them. But losing weight with God is different. Losing weight with God changes you from the inside OUT. Losing weight by deepening your faith doesn’t follow the worlds steps or standards…at all. When you surrender the gym for him, He takes first place before the gym and even before all of the food. You’ll begin to see yourself as being on a special journey where your body matters, but it is not the focus. Let’s Back up for a quick second and look at the big picture of your faith. God chose you, for an elected purpose in your life. (romans 9:10- 13).
You have been justified, made right with God, because of Jesus. (Romans 4:25-5:18). And now, you are in the process of being sanctified. You’re being made LIKE Christ. Your current journey isn’t about the scale really. It’s about becoming like Christ via the work of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:21, 15:16.) Sanctification is God’s power to change you. Now HERE is where you are on this Christian Life journey. Everything you do on this journey is deepening your faith in God or the world. Are you putting your faith in a diet and exercise program? Is your hope for that number on the scale and for that image of yourself in that goal dress? If it is, you might find yourself struggling to lose the weight, like I did.
Because most of us, as Christians, walk around living in our head faith. We walk around knowing about Jesus, but not being changed because of him. That’s exactly where I used to be. I knew what to do and why to do it, even on my weight loss journey, but I didn’t like it and that always ended up in me quitting. But when you see the big picture as your sanctification journey, you begin to activate your heart-faith, and this is where change happens. Like I said, sanctification is God’s power to change you. When you transfer your power from your head to your heart, you begin to unlock your faith at a deeper level. And it’s here that prioritizing him over the gym begins to MEET action. It requires that you build that relationship with him, daily, to become recognizable to him in your spirit. Your aim at this point, when you are seeking him and not the gym, is for “well done.” When you transfer your focus from seeking a # on that scale, to hearing those words, change happens. This journey of sanctification is making you holy so that you can be in his presence. And when you have this heart-faith, aware of your sanctification journey, you begin to step into God’s power of change within you, even in weight loss. You begin to hold onto the words of James 4:17 which says that it is sin to know what you should do and then not do it. Sin is often thought of as doing wrong. Of breaking the 10 Commandments. But sin is also not doing right. And on YOUR sanctification Journey, God is strengthening you to be strong against all sin. even the foods not on your meal plan. Why? Because he’s building your faith muscle to be stronger so that you will know sin more readily when you see it. This world tricks us. Everything around us is so amazing and enjoyable, that it becomes difficult to say no. And sometimes, to see where sin exists. So, what I’m saying here, is that what you do every day on your weight loss journey… Matters!
Let me share a gym analogy with you. A wealthy man is sick of seeing people struggling with obesity and having no access to the gym so that they can lose their weight. He builds gyms all around the world and he gives everyone a free membership and they never have to pay to enter. And people rest in the knowing that they have free access to the gym. That right there is your salvation. Now, your sanctification is when you go to the gym and you actually use the weight room. You actually run on the track. You actually swim in the pool. You actually do the things necessary for change to happen. You see, when you are seeking God, you find obedience to your meal plan as simply easier because you lead from your heart-faith. In your heart you know you’re being made holy; that sin is being eradicated. Change exists here. And so does obedience to the small things day in and day out. This doesn’t mean that things won’t be hard, daily. In fact, when things get hard, let me share with you what I do. When things are hard and I don’t feel like doing the Mundane tasks, such as my evening routine, or turning off the tv., or going to bed earlier, or prepping the foods on Sunday evening, or planning out food swaps for the forthcoming birthday party, when things are hard on this level, and I don’t feel like doing the things, I whisper to myself, “I might not feel like it, but I faith like it.” I "Faith like it" because I know in my faith, in my heart, that it’s the right thing to do. And trust that WHAT I do MATTERS. Feelings are in your mind & body. Faith is in your heart. When you don’t feel like doing what you should do, activate and LEAD in your faith. And do it because you “faith like doing it.” Don’t lead with your feelings, lead with your spirit. You are being sanctified. This is where change is possible. Lead with your heart knowledge, activating your faith as you and God change your life! …even in weight loss.
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