Today, let’s consider the scale that we want to give our attention since we aren’t giving the bathroom scale our attention.
The scale we WILL give our attention to is the hunger scale!
Let’s hone in on those hunger numbers or, if you would rather, what “0,” or physical hunger, feels like. At the other side, we will try to refine our “5” or physical satisfaction, too.
Bringing it home:
What can you do to evaluate more precisely what physical hunger is like for you? What about physical satisfaction? Is there room for improvement? Will you commit to nailing down your “hunger scale?”
I just did a search on Bible Gateway for “scale” and it is interesting the passages that came up. Other than referring to “scales” on fish, scale armor, or “scaling” a wall, the first reference is this one in Job 6:1-3:
Then Job replied:
“If only my anguish could be weighed
and all my misery be placed on the scales!
It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
no wonder my words have been impetuous.
I thought that was intriguing given that so very often when we get on the bathroom scale, it is as if our misery and anguish is there on that scale. Don’t you think?
Another verse found in Job 31:5,6:
“If I have walked with falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit—
let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless—
These are about the only references in Scripture (that I could tell) to weighing people. The rest of the references seem to indicate that weighing is typically in reference to value for commerce or some other context. Never for the purpose of weighing our own bodies or looking for approval from God or anyone else based on that weight!
In fact, most of the references to scales used for weighing anything at all were with regard to “dishonest” scales!
When I consider these facts, I really have to praise my God. This is definitely one of those worldly things that I am tempted to give far too much “weight” to.
By contrast, here is a passage that speaks of what God DOES invite me to “stand on:”
Then the Lord said,
“There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.
When my glory passes by,
I will put you in a cleft in the rock
and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Exodus 33:21, 22
I love this image of our God! He invites us to stand on a rock up near him. Isn’t that precious? Each time we are tempted today to stand on the bathroom scale, let’s instead, stand on the rock that is near our God. His glory will pass us by and we will experience his closeness! Let’s further invite him to weigh our hearts and help us to value his approval more than anything!
Are you with me? 🙂
Bringing it home:
If we are going to succeed in our desire to be free from the tyranny of the bathroom scale for two weeks, we will have to make provision for obedience. What will you DO to plan for your obedience? Will you give your scale to a friend or family member to hide? Who? Will you cover the scale with a sign that reminds you not to step on it? Will you put it in the garage? What is your plan? 🙂
Thank you Heidi for challenging me to “ditch my scale”. My scale is a tall, antique, cast iron, Doctor’s scale that I acquired years ago when I was working in a Dr.’s office. Since it’s very heavy and awkward to move, I hung a sign on it with a pledge not to step on it for two weeks. I’ve also told my husband (who is so encouraging).
It will be challenging for me. I realize that I have been far too dependant on that scale. If I’ve lost a bit of weight, I’m thrilled. If I have not lost, or worse yet, have gained, it ruins my day. Then I go back to that “I may as well eat whatever, cuz I will fail anyway, attitude”.
Today I am choosing a different way of thinking, I am making provision for obedience, I will apply truth to my life, and through Christ’s strength I will be victorious!!
I would love you to take a photograph of your sign on your big ol’ scale and email it to me! Seriously. That would be a great visual! 😀 I think it is awesome that you have the humility and tender heart to see that you have been dependent on the scale. You describe the way most of us are with a bathroom scale perfectly! So glad that you have decided to think differently and to make provision for obedience. WOOT!
I love that verse from Exodus! It gives me a visual image of the protection that God provides for me. He knows what I will need at any time and He provides.
I am really focusing on my secondary boundaries (sit at the table, no tv while eating). Today, I was really hungry at lunchtime. In the past, I would have foraged the cabinets a bit while my bread toasted (it starts of frozen so it takes a long time). Today, instead, I got on my knees and praised our Lord. And I sat quietly with Him. Wow, the urge to overeat was just gone. He is so great and so good!
Me, too, CMK. I love that. It’s like a daddy saying “Come on up here where you can be near me.” I LOVE that! I am so glad that you found the urge to overeat subsided. 🙂
I read this verse yesterday and it reminded me of the exodus verse.
Psalm 32:7 You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with shouts of deliverance.
I love that, CMK!
My scale is out of my room as of today. It is freeing not to rely on the scale for my happiness Also, there is another place in scripture that talks about a scale and it is the scene in which Belshazzar sees the writing on the wall and has Daniel interpret the writing and Belshazzar was told that he has been weighed by God and found lacking. Prior to this, Daniel tells him that he was proud and did not acknowledge the one true God even though he knew about him through his father Nebuchadnezzar. In any case, this leads me to believe that it is super important for all of us to deal with our hearts and this spiritual battle we are in. God honors each and every time we acknowledge Him in our eating or anything else. As long as our journey includes Him, I believe we will be victorious even if we stumble here and there. Thanks to all.
Great Scripture reference, Lisa! Really good one. Yes…I agree. We want to deal with our hearts! We want to change the way we think!
PRAISE GOD ! I didn’t jump on the scale this morning. Whoo hoo ! 🙂 I look to much to my scale for my approval. God is MY approval….He is MY ROCK! I’m trusting him to lead me in trusting him to show me true hunger and fullness. This awesome way to weighing my progress in the Lord. Thank you Heidi.
I’m going to go read my bible and look up these verses in in my Thompson chain reference king James version. I will pray and ask God to give me revelation and understanding. I want him to speak to my heart about the matter. 🙂 Your prayers avail much. Amen
WHOO HOO, Jamie!!!! So happy for you!
Good Job, Jaime, Lisa and the other ladies taking this challenge. It’s hard. I liked what Barb said in one of the other studies about picking your boundary; how often and how much? I’ve applied this to my scale usage, and I weigh in once a week for a reality check, unless I feel called not to… That happened the other week, and it was hard for me to skip that week and go another week, but at the end of the 2 weeks I had lost some weight and I’m not sure what would have happened if I got on in between, but I’m sure it wouldn’t have been good. I still struggle not to let the scale have too much value (thank you for this bible study), but for me I need a periodic check in to make sure I’m not “fuzzing my boundaries.” It’s easy to start lying to myself about where zero or five are, and the scale isn’t a perfect measure of my obedience, but for me it’s a useful tool.
Sounds like a great way of defining the boundary, N. I hear ya…it really IS so easy to deceive myself. I can rationalize anything!
Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂 God bless you.
Several years ago I bought a scale that measures my weight to the nearest ounce. So I could see if I weighed 165.5 one day and then 165.4 or 165.6 the next day. At the time I thought it was the greatest thing!!! Now I laugh just thinking about it as it is such a statement of where my thoughts were. I was allowing the scale to tell me my worth down to the nearest decimal. What slavery! I am going to to have my husband put the scale out in the garage on a very high shelf that I cannot get to it!
Been drawn to the scale more this week. I haven’t gotten on it, but I so badly want to see what it says because I feel like I’ve “been good”, and gotten more excercise. So, this is the week as I was counting the days that I feel called not to get on it, and skip a week. So, here’s my tantrum, I don’t wanna. I will skip, and it’s for my own good, but I don’t wanna. Guess I better renew my mind. Thanks ladies, keep up the good work!
N…stay strong! STAY STRONG! 🙂 How is it going now?