How to Root Your Weight Loss in Christ
You know those people you meet for the first time and instantly click with?
That was how it was when I talked to Brandice for the first time.
She is one of those people that exudes kindness and joy and instantly puts you at ease. Brandice is a fellow blogger who shares my passion for Christ and healthy living. I wholeheartedly stand behind the message she shares, which is why I am thrilled to have her here today to share some of her wisdom and encouragement!
Don’t miss all of her other great posts, like Use the Armor of God to Defeat Overeating and A Biblical Perspective on Diets, over her website, Grace Filled Plate!
Brandice is a nutrition coach and blogger at Grace Filled Plate. She teaches women how to ditch diets and restriction and find peace with food through God’s grace. Grace that then overflows into a healthy lifestyle.
If you are a Christian then you know that as believers we are called to build our lives upon Christ, our firm foundation. While we all struggle in our humanness, we see the benefit of living for Him and strive to do so. But what about weight loss? With the world full of “experts” on losing weight, what message do we build our health endeavors upon? Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us without direction! Today we will discuss several ways in which you can root your weight loss IN Christ.
Here we go!
WALK IN FREEDOM
Galatians 5:1 NLT So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
The first way that we can root our weight loss in Christ is to embrace the freedom that comes from the Gospel. If you are anything like me, you can turn just about any good intention into a rule, or law. The same can happen in the area of our food choices- When we forget that we have freedom in Christ, we can become legalistic in what and how we eat.
We try to do the “right” thing, eat the “good” food, exercise the “best” way, and we fail. The law, a diet, cannot make us happy or Holy, it can only point out our need for Christ. On the contrary- when we accept that we have freedom from diets in Christ we can finally hear His direction about how to eat and move more clearly.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Keep an eye out for the lure of the latest and greatest diet. We often feel like having a plan will “fix” our challenges but this misses the fact that the law does not address the heart. Embrace your freedom in Christ by accepting that you do not have to follow a diet OR your fleshly desires.
LISTEN FOR DIRECTION
John 10:27 NKJV My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
The freedom we have in Christ is a high calling. We are freed from the law- not to follow after the whims of our desires but to be led by His voice. Throughout scripture, Christ refers to Himself as our Shepherd. Now, few of us have had the opportunity to watch how a shepherd interacts with his sheep. But, there is a lot we can learn from the gentle and loving nature of a herdsman. As Psalm 23 illustrates, a shepherd’s primary concerns are his flock’s safety and sustenance. He keeps them close and carefully watches and provides for their every need.
Did you catch that? Making sure you and I are well-fed is on the top of our Shepherd’s priority list! Listen for His voice, knowing we can trust that He is leading us on a safe route where our needs will be met!
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Before you make a choice about what to eat or how to exercise, pause and listen for His voice. Our loving Shepherd is there to carefully guide us into His best provisions. If you find yourself pacing the kitchen after a stressful day with the kiddos, pause and ask for direction. I know some days this will sound impossible but if you can pause for just 5 seconds to check-in, you will give yourself a fighting chance!
AIM TO GLORIFY GOD
John 17:4 NKJV I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
Matthew 5:16 NKJV Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Christ came to earth to glorify His Father and He instructs us to do the same. When I read verses like those above my first inclination is to think BIG. And it’s true, we absolutely will glorify God with our faith-based grand adventures in missions and sacrificial giving. But, we can also shine a light on His greatness through our daily efforts with diet and exercise.
Think about it this way, our world is diet-centric. Thin is in and going to the gym to look “good” is what motivates a million dollar industry. Imagine how an individual who is eating and moving in a way to bring praise to God will stand out!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
And, not only will we glorify God as Christ did, we will be much healthier and in better shape because of our Spirit-led decisions.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Brainstorm a few ways in which your diet and exercise choices can glorify God. From telling a coworker how you finally found the motivation to go to the gym or being strong and energetic to serve Him with fervor, His glory does not have to be far from our food choices. When we create a Godly vision for our health pursuits, they become supernaturally charged!
IN CONCLUSION
It never ceases to amaze me how incredibly practical the Word of God is! While it is easy to see God’s direction in the “big” issues of life, it is also easy to overlook His help for our daily struggles. By rooting our weight loss in Christ we can apply powerful spiritual principles from the Bible to transform our lives and our health!
Remember that He doesn’t expect perfection. He knows that we are human and even our best intentions can leave us covered in chocolate, but I think that our TRY touches the heart of our Savior. Can you try to root your weight loss IN Christ today?
COXSLOT 