Wkbk 1 Week 2

[bkimberli]

Thanks Merry, I will do that. I have not done that yet, still learning this forum thing Thanks!

[gypsiejanie]

In the past, I have found it helpful to dialogue with others who are in the same place as me. I am going through the workbook again (as though it is my first time, because I'm still learning), and will be starting week 2 tomorrow. Right now I'm off for the holidays, so I have a little more time than usual. But I hope to post what I'm learning through the workbook and have some others join me in the journey.

[gypsiejanie]

As I have previously mentioned, I am going through the TW workbook again. This is my third time around. I want the quick fix, the easy solution; I SOOOOO want to get it, get on with it and get past it! NOT!!! I find myself vascilating between being encouraged and being frustrated. I'm chosing to be encouraged while refusing and releasing all frustration to the Lord.

Yesterday was the close of week 1 for me. As I reflected on the week, which included the Thanksgiving holiday, I was overall satisfied and thankful to God for His strength and help in the process. While I am still trying to find the ever elusive 0-5 (which is not a constant, but fluctuates from day to day and sometimes hour to hour ...that alone is difficult for a person who has lived all her life following rules that are black and white) I feel blessed that I am learning to observe and correct while making some progress in my obedient eating on a pretty consistent basis. I went to bed encouraged.

Then the morning came...beginning of Day 2. I made the choice to weigh. I was convinced that I must have released some weight because I had walked in obedience. NADA! Oh how quickly the sense of accomplishment through blessed obedience slipped away. Initially I felt angry, because I felt I "deserved" to have released some weight. After all, I had stopped eating (which still feels like deprevation if I am honest about it). Then I felt frustrated with the reality of knowing that no matter what I thought or felt, I really had not waited for 0 or stopped at 5. Otherwise, I would have released some weight. This reality was like a slap in the face. But then, the Holy Spirit, ever so gently reminded me of my most recent confessions....I will eat in obedience to God because it is right. I will trust the results to God. I will continue to do this, regardless of my weight or my size because it is right. Yes, Holy Spirit, I hear you, but...."I WANT WHAT I WANT! I want to eat and I want to be thin and it's not fair (tantrum time). Why does the scale measure my sucess? Why does a number tell me where my heart is? How can a number on a scale so quickly steal my peace and my joy? Devil scale!

I'm glad I made those confessions and declarations because the Holy Spirit used them to ground me this morning. So...I'm going to continue to declare my hope and confess what I am hoping for. I will walk out of captivity. I will eat in obedience. I will trust God with the results of my obedience.

I am personalizing Romans 15:14, "Now may my God of hope fill me with all joy and peace as I believe in him, so that I may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

The way I understand this, as I hope, I will be filled with all joy and all peace. ALL...that means all!!!! Nothing lacking. In otherwords, my level of peace and my level of joy is directly in proportion to my level of hope. I'm ramping up my hope right now! My hope is in you Lord.

As I am hoping, I will praise you!
Psalm 71:14, As for me, I will wait continually, and will continue to praise you.

I will read and meditate on the Word of God.
Psalm 119:81, I desperately long for your deliverance. I find hope in your word.

I will pray persistently.
Romans 12:12, Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.

I will...

[k.b.]

We have all been there. Know that victory comes when we can openly and honestly recognize our battles / struggles! Praise God! You are on your way to victory. Satan is powerless if we can see his attempts to derail us and your eyes are wide open to his schemes. Celebrate this dear friend. There is no shame in struggling. In fact wrestling with God is quite biblical. It's when we give up that we are in serious trouble.

Keep putting yourself in the middle of His promises and truth! I and and many others are praying for you. Blessings on your day today. Look for God in the little things and He will do greater things than you can ever imagine.

blessings and love - Karen