I don’t know about you, but there are often times when I need shelter in this whole weight journey thing. I can think of so many seasons of weariness. A sense of sheer exhaustion with a recurrent battle that often seemed pointless and wearying to fight. I was just so tired. Tired of caring. Tired of it mattering. Just tired. I did not want or did not know how I could even imagine life without this battle continuing. It was just too much.
In the past, beginning my weight journey meant that I was starting a new diet plan. THIS was going to be it. All I have to do is follow these few rules, and not eat________ . Easy, right?
Child, please. If there is ANYTHING that feels like a burden, it is the act of following a diet. Oh, my. It always seems doable at first, but after the first few days, the burden of slavery has finally settled. I just traded masters. Instead of being bound to food, I am now bound to this new set of rules. These rules are oppressive. I feel doomed to fail, scared that if I don’t follow the rules exactly then I will not see the results I hope to achieve. I have done SO many of these diets, and I believe they are ALL the same. Burdensome.
There is a passage in the Bible that talks specifically about this:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentile and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Ok, God. Your promised me rest. Where is it?
When I started asking God for his help with my weight, he gave me one rule: “Eat when you are hungry and stop when you have had enough.” When I started, it was not about what I was eating, but rather, when and for what reason. At first, I felt that this rule was burdensome, just like all of other diets. However, once I decided to listen, I quickly saw the freedom that followed. As long as I ate within these boundaries, God allowed the choices to be mine.
Since that first step of obedience, I have seen God honor my efforts. He saw that I was trying, and even though I was not perfect, it seemed that my small step toward trying to listen, would reap bigger rewards. I had his help. I was his friend. He wanted to help me win. I just needed to do it his way.
Now that I am beginning yet another journey out, I will begin as I learned– by asking him where I should start. God, what would you have me to do? How should I move forward this time? I need your help. As I listen for the answer, I would encourage you to consider asking him the same thing. Remember, He wants to help you. Just let him.
Freedom Chasers 