Let’s be honest.  We all go thru times when we feel defeated, discouraged and tired.  We might feel like we should turn back to a diet.  I know when I feel this way, I tend to go right back to eating mindlessly because of this attitude. The Lord have shown me that when I start down this path of defeated thinking, my eyes usually are on my weight – that scale number- and then on my body- how it looks.  When this happens, I tend to experience shame over my body.  My focus is on ME!  ME! ME!

I was feeling this way not long ago, of all mornings, but Easter Sunday.  Yes, this day where we celebrate the most amazing thing Jesus did to prove His power, I was focused on how ugly I felt! I was focused on myself and didn’t even realize it. Then we sang a song that started to crack that shell of discouragement.

As we sang that portion of the song over and over, a light began to seep into the darkness that was in my soul that day. It was just a preparation for what was to come next thru the words of my pastor.

The title of the message was “The Power of the Cross”

POWER. OVERCOME. JESUS.  That struck me.  Here I was sitting in my own puddle of discouragement and Jesus was gently telling me that HE has the power to do all things!

Matt. 28:18

All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.

I realized that I had been focusing on ME and not on HIM!  (ouch!) I had not been focusing on Jesus and His power. Right there, in the middle of the sermon Jesus whispered to my heart that He no only has, overcome  death- but He has also overcome this “living death” that is my shame!

Jesus has overcome

• my body shape
• my size
• my scale number
• my turning to food to escape or comfort
• any and all strongholds
• all of what society might think is beauty and acceptable

Right then I heard my pastor say that we all need to have an

“Extreme Makeover – Soul Edition”!! 

That is what I knew I needed.  That is what I need every day!

I had been focusing on getting  an

Extreme Makeover – “Please Can I at Least Look Good Enough to Not Be Considered Old and Fat?” Edition

My focus had been on my outward appearance!  Jesus showed me, ever so gently that He is doing a work in my heart.  I could let go of the outward appearance and surrender it over to Him to create in the way He sees fit.

Samuel 16:7

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Oh, I was taking furious notes in my journal that day in church!  I thought my pen might catch fire!  But Jesus was bringing a new fire to my soul.  Yes!  As I heard the pastor say “We need to not just KNOW about the resurrection, we need to EXPERIENCE resurrection in our life!”

That was it.  I felt that day as if I WAS resurrected.  And each day I need to be resurrected in His newness of life.

Lord, help me to keep my eyes open to You and Your power.

Resurrect me!  

Give me NEW LIFE!

So, now I ask myself….am I denying (pushing away) His truth in my life by believing lies…these old lies about my identity….that being a certain number on a scale or a certain shape or size is the only way to be acceptable?  Lies about what he CAN and WILL do?

Oh dear Readers, may we all listen to HIS truth of who we really are! We are HIS CHILDREN who are dearly loved no matter our shape or size.  Let’s trust that HE can and WILL take us where we need to be in our outward appearance if we truly follow Him with our eating and our lives.

Amen.  May it be so!