Weighing In

"Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31

Good morning, ladies!

It's the end of January, which means it's that time of year again.

Time to confess to God my lack of perseverance in my New Year's resolutions.

Every year, it's the same one, that gets harder and harder to make, and even harder to stick to.  This year I'm going to do it.  I will not quit.  I will do whatever I need to do to meet my goal.

You know which resolution I'm talking about.  On a completely unrelated topic, it's hard to type with an Oreo cookie in my hand.

Getting back in shape is hard, isn't it?  Let's face it--it's so much more fun to put on weight than it is to take it off!  Living in France is like living in a country of Barbie dolls, with the occasional overweight person thrown in just to make things interesting.  Most clothes sold in the stores stop at size 16.  Forget finding control top panty hose unless you're a size 4.  If that's the case, why do you need it anyway?

As difficult as it is to get back in shape physically, getting back into spiritual shape after straying from God’s Word is even harder!  Thinking about one problem, led me to think about the other:

How do I get my body and my spirit back in shape?

 1.  Dissatisfaction with my appearance.

Usually the first signs begin with that long look in the mirror.  How did I let myself get to this point?  I hardly recognize myself anymore! Time to get my body under control.

When I stray from God, I should hate how I look!  Ephesians 3:14-19 shows me what I should strive for in my spiritual appearance: I should ressemble Christ, and reflect Him to others.  Anything else should warn me that there are changes that need to be made.

2.  Decision to act upon my dissatisfaction.

Admitting how I looked in the mirror (ugh) and before God (ugh ugh) are not enough.  I must change.  I must accept responsibility for my poor food choices. That bag of chips didn't empty itself, that donut didn't walk itself into my mouth.  I alone am responsible for my current state.

In my spiritual walk, I must confess my sins, repent, and ask God to help me live a godlier lifestyle.  Daniel 1:8:   Daniel “purposed in his heart” not to be impure either in his eating habits or in his walk with God. 

3.  Daily habit transformation.

What are the keys for dieting?   Less snacking, more fruits and veggies, drinking water, smaller portions, setting boundaries.  In a nutshell, my habits cannot remain as they are.  I have to change.

How do I grow to be more like Christ?  I must change my daily habits: starting the morning with the Bible instead of Facebook, less TV, more prayer.   Remember the Bereans and their (daily) hunger for God? (Acts 17:11)  II Corinthians 5:17 reminds me that I am now in Christ, which should transform my habits!

4.  Direction for my feet
Dieting alone isn’t enough.  I need to move!  Here’s the “why” of gaining weight:  taking in calories (yum) but never putting them out!  The same is true with God:  what I take in, I must give out!

When I start having a pity party, I need to get out and serve others.  When I am sluggish about reading my Bible or prayer time, I need to remember that God has called me to work for Him, and get busy equipping myself for this task!

I Timothy 4:8 reminds me that while exercising the body is okay, exercising my spirit is far better.  James 2:14-20 reminds me that faith must have its exercise, in order to be a help to others.

Even the world understands that in order for an athlete to have temporal success, he must “get a grip” on his destructive habits, and make sacrifices to be the best in his sport.  How much more should I, a child of God, be willing to “get a grip” on my spiritual laziness so that I can live a life pleasing to God?

What is keeping me from reaching my goals today?  Maybe it's time for a new direction...