I don’t know about you but at times I am a slower learner when it comes to spiritual truths. One of those truths is reflected in my weight loss.
About four years ago I heard Jesus tell me “If you are going to finish your race you have to get into better shape.” Well, I was already walking two miles a day before going to work so I had a pretty good idea what HE was referring to. The dreaded scales!!
As a good little wife, I asked Ray to pray with me so we could hear the “right program”. True to his nature, Ray prayed. He told me he kept hearing Weight Watchers in his spirit. Well, I knew that couldn’t be right!! I remembered the program from the 70’s. There was no way I could manage all that carrying stuff around to make my meals everywhere we went. Oh no, he was wrong. So I took things into my own hands and started researching.
But daily Ray would tell me he was continuing to pray but kept hearing the same thing in his spirit. It seemed no use to continue to explain to him how I could not do that and how he had to be wrong. So I decided I would prove it to him once and for all. I called the director in my area and explained my situation. I told her how we traveled and stayed in homes and I just could not be a burden for my hosts, etc. She let me wind down then gently told me the new program would accommodate that. She explained there were meetings I could attend or I could use the internet program.
Well my ears perked up when she explained how I could monitor myself with their online program and not have to attend the meetings. You see, I am not big on condemnation and I felt pretty sure I would always be fussed at if I attended the meetings. I knew how difficult weight loss was for me. No, I would rather keep all this in the secrecy of my home.
But God knew there was something I needed to correct. HE made it clear that the only way HE would bless the program was if I presented myself weekly to be corrected and encouraged. HE knew that submission to an outsider in a vulnerable area of my life was not something I felt I could do. After all, who wants someone other than God to know their daily failures? But present myself, I did. I would like to tell you it was easy, but it was not. Having other eyes see the scales and having to account for my actions when the scale went up was not easy. But it was necessary. It broke something in me. Suddenly the scale started downward and did not stop until the goal was reached.
You see, I thought the sacrifice of the “forbidden” foods was enough. But God wanted not sacrifice but obedience. HE wanted full obedience to what HE said. Such as, not only the weight loss but to have it done HIS way. Now every time I have a clear command from God I do my best to immediately follow through exactly as HE speaks it even if it makes no sense to me.
Daily I pray that I will become the most obedient, grateful child HE has. Perhaps you want to contend for that place as well.
Hope to see you in a tea room soon,
Elizabeth