Weight Loss Scripture Day 4: Forward Motion
April 4, 2010 by Kim T
Filed under Weight Loss Scriptures
Day 4: Christian Weight Loss Scripture
Every day in the month of April, I will post an encouraging scripture on my website that I hope will instruct and inspire you on your weight loss journey.
Today’s focus scripture is taken from Philippians 3:13:
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead
One thing I have learned in my Christian weight loss journey is this: God is a forward thinking and acting God.
I meditated on this fact recently when a scripture from Jeremiah 7:23-24 hit me right between the eyes during my morning bible study time:
“But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”
Even though God led the Israelites out of Egypt, a place of oppression, wickedness, and idolatry, in their hearts they never left. Their bodies might have been free in the Promised Land but their hearts and minds were still in bondage back in Egypt.
Too often, we allow fear, emotional pain, and habitual sins to keep us chained to the past. But God sent Jesus to set us free from all that so we can move forward in him.
A wonderful blessing to celebrate on this Resurrection Day!
I heard a motivational speaker once who said that we want the new thing, but still want to hang on to the old stuff! But that just does not work: To experience change, we must change.
When I wanted to be delivered from emotional eating and food addiction, I had a vision: I saw myself huddled in a dark corner, cold, scared, and lonely. And I saw God bathed in light just behind me. I sensed Him calling me to come to him and give him the emotional burdens that were literally eating me alive. And yet, voices were whispering to me that it was safer in the darkness.
Imagine that: I actually felt safe in my misery!
But God’s love was so strong that it compelled me to turn around and look at him in my vision. When I looked, I saw beauty, gentleness, and strength. I trusted Him, took His hand, and haven’t been the same.
In order to receive real comfort and move forward, you have to let the false comforts go. Simple as that. Yes, it takes courage. Yes, it is scary and yes, it is hard. But say to yourself that you are willing to go to the other side of hard.
That is where your reward is. It is waiting for you. All it takes is a commitment to forward motion, step by step, day by day. And you will get there!
Be blessed in health, healing, and wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor, C.W.C.
Certified Wellness Coach
Author of the ‘Take Back Your Temple’ ebook
http://www.takebackyourtemple.com/book
I have read Weight Loss Scriptures 1-4 and they have become foundational building blocks for the addition that I plan to add to my current Temple. You see, ridding myself of unproductive habits, thoughts and actions, has made room for increased strength, determination and commitment. Under the Lord’s guidance, I am expanding and furnishing my new Temple. These daily scriptures are food for my mind whose best friends are my heart and my spirit.
In one of your earlier forwardings, you asked if we though the Lord was concerned about our weight. III John 1:2, supports my belief that he is. As spiritual people, we are always fighting against that which conflicts with the Gospel. Warriors, just like members of the military, must be equipped to do battle. In order to “put on the whole armour of God,” we must be able to fit into it. Armour that does not fit properly becomes a WEIGHT instead of protective ADVANTAGE. I would certainly not be able to “run through a troup” or “leap over walls”, so to speak, if I was WEIGHED DOWN by sickness, fatigue,distractions that compromise my thinking. As GOOD SOLDIERS, we are TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of our MINDS.
Hi, Judith! I am so glad that you are taking the daily scriptures to heart. As I said to Kathy-Anne in the comments on the Day 3 scripture, God cares about what is going on in your heart and mind and that should be our priority too.
I appreciate your comment on the “Does God care about your weight?” Christian weight loss controversy. I wrote the post because I want some healthy dialogue around this polarizing issue. You make some good points in that we are always fighting against that which conflicts with the Gospel. And obviously, I am all for promoting a healthy lifestyle among Christians since that’s what this site is about. But I want to shed some more light on how I came to the conclusion that God does not care about your weight, but what’s going inside with the real you.
See, in my research for the Take Back Your Temple ebook, I read some quotes from older Christian weight loss resources that said things like “Whenever you see a fat Christian, you’re looking at one who is not walking with the Lord” and “Slim is how God meant us to be.” Both of these ideas are error because neither of these statements is supported by the bible. And they both seem to endorse the idea that your outward appearance is an indication of your spiritual condition, which is false.
Take for example, Jesus’ dealings with the Pharisees. In both cases, he rebuked them for being more concerned with the outward appearance than the condition of their inner man. In one case, he called them “white-washed tombs full of dead men’s bones” and in another he said they cleaned the outside of the cup and dish but inside they were full of greed and wickedness.
I don’t recall anywhere in the bible where a person was rebuked about their weight. The only two stories I remember in which it was even noted that the person was obese was Eli the priest and Eglon, King of Moab in the Old Testament. But the weight was just mentioned as a description of the person; it is not written that God himself judged them for their excess weight.
So my understanding is that God cares about the heart. You can have a woman who is slim and looks great on the outside. But in the privacy of her home, she regularly stuffs herself with food, but vomits it up. In this case, her weight is fine. But God doesn’t care about that – he cares about what is driving her to destructive behavior and his focus is going to be on getting to the heart of the matter…healing her of those thoughts and behaviors in love. See the difference?
Compulsive overeating and bulimia are the same in God’s eyes. However, according to worldly thinking, bulimia is more “acceptable” since the evidence of the disorder doesn’t show up on the outside as it might on someone who becomes obese because of compulsive overeating.
I also want to clarify a statement you made. You said, “In order to ‘put on the whole armour of God,’ we must be able to fit into it. Armour that does not fit properly becomes a WEIGHT instead of protective ADVANTAGE.”
Just to be clear, are you saying that because someone is physically overweight or obese they can’t put spiritual armor on because it won’t fit? I don’t think that’s what you meant but I’d like to hear more on that thought.
Remember what comprises the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20): truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation, as well as the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. This armor is one size fits all – adapting to the size of the spirit man of the person who takes time to put it on. In fact, as you grow in your Christian life, the more protection you have from the elements of the armor and sword because they get bigger too.
Wow, Judith I practically wrote another book, didn’t I? I really appreciate your comment and I am sure you can tell that I am deeply passionate about this subject. It’s just that, I experienced self-hatred and condemnation when I was obese and trapped in food addiction. I thought because I condemned myself and others condemned me that God must condemn me too.
However, in the nearly 7 years since he first spoke to me at my highest weight and lowest point, he has made it clear that he sees differently than anyone on Earth sees. He wants me to be healthy so I can enjoy my life to the fullest and fulfill his will for me. But I don’t believe God has a particular scale number or size number in mind for me, any more than he cares about my hair style or what shoes I choose to wear. He leaves the choice of size and weight up to me.
Obviously, it’s wise for me to choose a size and weight that doesn’t keep me from doing anything I want and need to do. One that doesn’t make me susceptible to joint problems, disease, fatigue, or distractions as you mentioned.
I try to make a clear distinction between what I care about and what God cares about. On the physical side, God cares about my health; I care about my health too, but also personal achievement and appearance-related things like my fitness level and my clothing size.
I want to be sure that anything I say God cares about can be backed up by the words of the bible.
Thank you for your post. I respect your opinion and thank you for sharing it!
Love this: “[Be] willing to go to the other side of hard.” Paul would agree, for he goes on to say, in verse 14 of Philippians 3, “I press on…”
Hi Lou, thanks for reminding me about that scripture. It goes right along with “the other side of hard”. You just have to be willing to press through some things to get the best of what life has to offer.