Scripture Reflection
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35
And you thought losing weight was simply a matter of eating less and exercising more! It’s time to rethink that faulty game plan.
Losing weight is one of the most complex strongholds to overcome. It’s a process that requires changing the way you think, among other things.
This post will focus on one of the factors to consider before setting off on your weight loss journey–YOUR MOTIVE.
If you want to lose weight just to be a certain number on the scale, to look a certain way, or to fit into a certain outfit, then your motivation might be misplaced and your results might be short-lived.
If your desire is to glorify God with your body or live in obedience to Him, leave a legacy of health for your children, or reflect His glory, then you’re on the right track.
Having the right motive can give you the inspiration you need to do the difficult things you don’t want to do.
When your motive is grounded in Christ, you will …
1. See your workouts as a form of worship and healthy eating as a reasonable sacrifice to God. This can transform your thinking about exercise and food, and the change of perspective will inspire you to keep going when you want to quit.
2. Feel confident that you are on the right path, or that if you veer off, He will continue to direct your steps. When you’re following His will, you are more inspired to stay the course because you will feel more confident in His strength and not your own.
3. Have more patience because you will understand that though the process may seem slow, the Word tells us that God is not slow in fulfilling his promises (2 Peter 3:9). God will work in tandem with your obedience, so get ready to receive what He has for you.
4. Ground yourself in the light of who He says you are and don’t be led astray by what you think you should look like. This works both ways. Do not obsess over your weight and do not practice false humility; thereby neglecting your health either.
5. Use your health journey as a testimony to tell others about the goodness of God. You will be inspired to tell of His goodness and mercy and this will give you more motivation and encouragement to keep on going.
Paul tells us that Jesus said, “It is better to give than it is to receive.” What if you changed your mindset about losing weight and thought of the entire process as a way of giving to God. It might sound crazy, but all you have to lose is the excess weight, right?
Instead of wanting to lose weight, consider giving your health to God as a reasonable sacrifice.
Instead of giving in to second helpings, ask yourself if this will glorify God.
Instead of seeing exercise as a form of punishment, see it as a privilege that many people will never get to experience and use it as a form of worship to God.
P.S. if you are tired of circling the same mountain over and over and want a Christ-centered approach to lasting weight loss without feeling guilty, deprived, or overwhelmed, be sure to sign up for our video course program right away at cathymorenzie.com
Mindset matters, let’s try to reframe losing weight by focusing more on what we can do.
6 Comments
This is sooo good. The last weight-loss program I was involved in helped me realize my motives and resources were wrong. I didn’t understand at the time, but the Lord put it in my heart that I was being carnal, which I resisted. Looking back, what he meant was I was trying to do it in my own effort and I just wanted to see results. I didn’t care about if he wanted to heal my emotional hurts. I didn’t have time for that. I had a pumped-up kind of “Just Do It” mentality. Well, that lasted about 2 months and sputtered out. Sometimes the Lord is kind enough to let us fail so that we will humble ourselves and he can give us a bigger and better blessing.
In the past those motives were my false motives.Now, although there are certainly days of struggle, I focus on choosing to honor my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit and not go back. When I want to give in or give up, I remember all the grace that God has given to me over this past 1.5 years and the benefits of releasing 110 lbs. I repeat my vision statement and certain scriptures.
I LOVE this post. This is exactly what the Holy Spirit has been teaching me. As I was running the other day I remembered the scripture to, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice which is your reasonable act of worship.” And I thought to myself, “Okay God, I am going to give you this run as a sacrifice of praise.” And you know what? I was soaring on wings of eagles! It was amazing!
Rowena
Amen Rowena, it’s so much more rewarding when we do it for Him.
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