The battle is not “of the bulge.” It is more pervasive than that! The battle we fight is for our minds.
While trying to focus on God, maintaining godly goals, applying principles such as the Keys to Conscious Eating in Thin Within…we find ourselves with thoughts being fixed on … US!
We fight condemning self-talk as we continue on this path. In fact, we may struggle with thinking about ourselves CONSTANTLY. “Am I at a zero?” “Is this what 3 feels like? Or is this 5?” “Can I really eat this and not gain weight?” “This didn’t work for me before, why do I think it will now?” “Will I really lose weight?” “This is going to take forever!” Then we answer some of our questions with any host of me-oriented answers, “No, it won’t work…nothing ever ‘sticks’…why would that change now?” or “Yes, look at me go! I can feel the weight melt off me already!” or “I am going to look GREAT!” or “I wonder if those jeans fit now!” or “I will hop on the scale again (even though I just did 32 minutes ago) and see if I have lost or gained any more weight!”
ME ME ME…
Even if we have “self-talk” that is positive and upbeat…we are sowing a habit that is about ME. I know this from experience. It does NOT serve us well or the goal of becoming Christ-like! If we don’t nip this habit of being SELF-focused in the bud, it will bite us in our ever shrinking rears later. I know this. BELIEVE ME! Even if you release all your extra weight, but have sown the habit of thinking about yourself all the time, God will allow you to find that place of thinness…empty in your soul. He wants your heart. Let us not sell our souls in exchange for thinness.
We want to train our minds and hearts for godliness, instead.
We want to sow habits that will exalt the Lord!
Keep praising Him for His attributes, his provision, His grace, His love…any thoughts of self, trade them, replace them with thoughts of “Oh, God! How GREAT you are!” “I need YOU so much!” “Thank you for all YOU do and are!” “Thank you that YOU are bread for my hungry heart!”
This is important…vital. THIS is the Path of God’s Provision. It is paved with stones of God-exaltation!
Remember I said I was hesitant to start TW? This was why. Thank God this is a different way; the FOCUS is off me, and on God. I love it. I first thought I wouldn't lose any weight, but I was happy anyway because I felt so close to the Lord. He has let me lose veerrrryyy slowly, but I wouldn't trade this relationship and the peace I have for anything. I was once obsessed with my body. I was skinny, but all I thought about was food, and what I looked like. I was a Christian, but I was my own god. I gave that up, and in the process gained a lot of weight. I truly didn't know what to do.Now I feel I am on the road God wants for me.
Remember I said I was hesitant to start TW? This was why. Thank God this is a different way; the FOCUS is off me, and on God. I love it. I first thought I wouldn't lose any weight, but I was happy anyway because I felt so close to the Lord. He has let me lose veerrrryyy slowly, but I wouldn't trade this relationship and the peace I have for anything. I was once obsessed with my body. I was skinny, but all I thought about was food, and what I looked like. I was a Christian, but I was my own god. I gave that up, and in the process gained a lot of weight. I truly didn't know what to do.Now I feel I am on the road God wants for me.
"The battle is not "of the bulge." It is more pervasive than that! The battle we fight is for our minds."Heidi, you have no idea how timely this is. I'm being attacked with severe anxiety at the moment and it is keeping totally 'self focused'…my breathing, every little feeling in my body etc. I know that in this case it is not totally in the mind (hormones and allergies have some play in it too)…but the battlefield is definitely in the mind. I've given this over to the Lord and have asked to be released from it. But I will also do as you say and start praising Him in the process. I haven't compiled my list yet, but it looks like I need to.
"The battle is not "of the bulge." It is more pervasive than that! The battle we fight is for our minds."Heidi, you have no idea how timely this is. I'm being attacked with severe anxiety at the moment and it is keeping totally 'self focused'…my breathing, every little feeling in my body etc. I know that in this case it is not totally in the mind (hormones and allergies have some play in it too)…but the battlefield is definitely in the mind. I've given this over to the Lord and have asked to be released from it. But I will also do as you say and start praising Him in the process. I haven't compiled my list yet, but it looks like I need to.
Romans 8:1-There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This is my meditation today!
Romans 8:1-There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This is my meditation today!