For so long, I felt that I should not have to work hard at losing weight. I felt that I should be able to make a few adjustments in my diet to lose the weight because I did not want to work too hard at it. Other people don’t seem to have to work so hard at this, so why should I?
That mindset did not work for me. I didn’t lose any weight, and I got even more frustrated. But still the question persisted—why do I have to work so hard at this and for others, losing weight or even just maintaining their weight seemed effortless.
The answer to this questions is found in Galatians 6:4-5 AMPC—
But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. For every person will have to bear [with patience] his own burden [of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible].
Yikes! If we happen to think we are flawless, we stand corrected right there. We are to look at what has been given to us—strengths and weaknesses. I struggle with using food for comfort and pleasure. Another person struggles with anger, selfishness, or another kind of addiction like gambling or alcohol. I can look at them and think that, because they don’t struggle with food, they have it all together. But according to Galatians, ‘every person will have to bear his own burden of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible.’ So we can all rest assured that we are not the only one with problems. The Bible promises we will have problems, but, thankfully, we have a choice. God says, I’ve set before you life and death. Choose life.’ (Deuteronomy 30:19) In other words, God is saying—‘Choose Me! I can bring life to the dead, dark spots in your life.’ In your own strength, you are likely to fail at strengthening your weaknesses. But you have everything you need in Christ. He becomes your strength—IF you let Him.
Yielding to Christ looks different for everyone as well. But there are things we can do by faith, asking for His strength and power to assist us that will lead to life-giving results. When I realized this, I knew I would have to do some hard things that I don’t like doing—like fasting. I strongly dislike fasting! Not so much anymore because I’ve seen the freedom it brings me. So I do a hard thing, pressing in to receive strength from the Lord, and then I see a measure of freedom I didn’t have before I fasted. Then I am encouraged to do another hard thing like stick to a diet plan that is balanced, healthy, and leads to a lifestyle of healthy eating. I’m not caught up in the messaging of Diet Culture to do this diet, I was led to it by the Spirit, and I’m doing it by faith causing my my body to be submitted to my spirit, which is connected to God. I am pressing in, doing this hard thing unto the Lord. Why unto the Lord? Because this is my burden of faults and shortcomings, and I want to be responsible with it by surrendering it to the Lord. I don’t have anger problems or an addiction to gambling, but I do have this. So it is my responsibility to make sure this shortcoming in me is completely submitted to the Lord causing it to become a holy thing in my life where He gets the glory and goodness comes from it.
When we exit Diet Culture, we are going to have to do some hard things, but not in our own strength or for our own vanity. We are going to be strengthened as we go because we are going to put our faith in God. The 12 Core Elements of Losing Weight and Maintenance are the mindset shifts and physical efforts we are going to do to turn our shortcomings into a thing of beauty that tells the world, ‘Look! Look at what I let God do in me!’
I can do hard things, and now, I kinda like them. I never thought I’d ever say anything like that. I’ve always been a creature of comfort looking for the next fun thing. But there is so much more available to us when we surrender our meager efforts and our entitled mindsets to a loving God that wants us to be free. Freedom doesn’t just happen. It is a variety of intentional, spirit-led, efforts that you choose to do submitted to your Heavenly Father so His strength can empower you more than you could do yourself.
