I am making a fearless decision to trade in my love handles for some Godly self-control! I am praying this scripture to keep myself accountable: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 Now, I am also accountable to you my readers! Oh my! I have drifted away from my pursuit of Godly self-control and discipline! I can’t blame anyone but myself! My appetite has controlled me instead of me controlling my appetite! I can look back and remember when food did not rob me of my joy of being energetic and content with my body! “Godliness with contentment is great gain!” 1 Timothy 6:6 Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines contentment (841) as “self-satisfaction, a competence, and sufficiency.” I love the word satisfaction because I am not getting any satisfaction with my love handles!!!!!! I feel sluggish and uncomfortable in my physical being and my clothes! I am sick and tired of being sick and tired so it is now time for some divine action! My great gain will be to shed the extra bags of fat I am carrying around and obtain God’s contentment!
My goal is to lose 10-15 pounds which seems like a mountain in my dysfunctional thinking. Wait doesn’t God specialize in moving mountains??? One of my favorite scriptures is this one: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say… “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7 Well, the good news is God does reign and he has given me this familiar promise to claim and share with you: “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Mark 11:23 I have to shake off the dust from my sleepy brain and awaken to God’s truth! The lie for me is one day of self-indulgence doesn’t matter, but unfortunately, it always turns into more than one day! That’s where God’s gift of self-control comes in to move my mountain of unwanted pounds! Another lie for me is that I have to have huge faith to move my mountain! Here is God’s truth: “Truly, I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 Did you catch the part where God says. nothing will be impossible for you?
God gave me the fruits of the spirit to be my lifestyle not my appetizer! Duh!!! Sometimes I forget the fruits of the Spirit includes self-control. Think about this verse: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23b I wish my life would always reflect the fruits of the Spirit. God did not give me these extravagant gifts as a casual sample of his grace but as a lifestyle reflecting Himself! My life is to be a beautiful portrait of his love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
The winning part of this complex struggle of mine is that my help to overcome my appetite and exercise dilemma is comes from God! “I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 So how up close and personal is this help that God has promised? “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13 Can you visualize God holding your hand and calming your anxiety to make your goal a reality! As I write this blog, God is reassuring me over and over again through His word of His faithfulness! God wants me to shake off any lies that I am in this struggle alone to sink or swim! Hasn’t God said? “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 God’s word encourages me to go on this adventure with him because “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” Proverbs 12:25 No wonder God has wisely equipped me as His word states: “the joy of the LORD is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b God is the profound master of overcoming obstacles!
God has called me more than a conqueror in His word! This is powerful: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 To be more than a conqueror you have to conqueror something! Duh! I am seeking to conqueror my fear of failure and fear of not being good enough! I had a dear sister in Christ who is a more than conqueror role model for me. Her name is Trish Cashen and she is a widow and mother of 4 who just qualified for the Boston Marathon! You can read her incredible story in my upcoming blog called: “To Glorify God, A Widow of Faith Pursues Boston Marathon Dream.” She went into strict training with God as her guide and shed 20-25 pounds and realized her dream. No doubt this verse had to motivate Trish, “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1b By her example, I am inspired to take this small leap of faith knowing that it will lead to so much more leaps of faith! My heart’s desire is to be more than a conqueror and to approach my journey with perseverance!
So for me, a new race has just begun with today! God is the God of new beginnings so I am ready for some major changes in my thinking, eating, and exercise. I used to believe that sugar was not my friend. After talking to Trish Cashen I believe sugar is my enemy! Each day matters for me to eat wisely more vegetables, more lemon water, some fruits (breakfast only), no carbohydrates, some protein and no deserts. Each day matters for me to burn calories with an exercise of power walking and biking. I am claiming this verse for my new adventure: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it springs forth; shall you not know it? I will make a road in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert,” Isaiah 43:18-19 I believe I will finish strong because of this verse: Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 My prayer is that you also will have the confidence to begin a new quest with God!
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