This is a heart battle.
After 44 years of making it a scale battle, I stand focused on the changing of my heart instead. I have confessed my food addiction, I have been freed from pleasing the measuring stick, and I’m prepared to put God at the heart of my heart. The scale of my scale pales in comparison to the size of my God and His plan for me. This is the journey of choosing True Life.
I have already tried diet after diet. I have yo-yo dieted away 65 pounds at a time, more times than I can count, because each time I glorified my self-will, which failed in the end. I did not permit the promises of God to be my focus, to let the will of God be my motivation. Fitting into smaller clothes ranked higher. My emotions looking in the mirror reigned supreme. This is the journey of choosing death—the dead end of a story based on my own daily choices.
Today He sets before me life or death, blessing or curse. And I get to choose (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).
His will is my best case scenario.
He prizes my hopes and dreams even more than I do, because He is the Author of my future, if I let Him be. So, choosing Life means seeking His approval over everything I put in my mouth and every way I take care of my body, which is the temple in which He lives. I must prize His will above my hopes and dreams because there is nothing better than living out His plan:
“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.” Romans 12:2 (TPT)
Once He changes the way I think, then I will be empowered to focus on subduing my body and exercising self-control, not so that my scale can reemerge as the hero, but so that at the heart of my heart will be His goal…
…of living a satisfying and beautiful life.
“Now every athlete who [goes into training and] competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a crown that withers, but we [do it to receive] an imperishable [crown that cannot wither]. Therefore I do not run without a definite goal; I do not flail around like one beating the air [just shadow boxing]. But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].”
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 AMP
Engaging Jesus in my heart means simplifying my orientation of each choice I encounter. Whether I eat or drink, or whatever I do, I will do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). So this becomes my daily prayer:
“Lord, I commit my body to You as a temple of Your Holy Spirit. Teach me how to care for it properly. Show me how I should eat and what I should avoid. Take away all desire for food that is harmful to me. Give me balance and wisdom. Help me to purify myself from everything that contaminates my body and spirit out of reverence for You (2 Corinthians 7:1). Enable me to obey You in this so I can live Your way and dwell in the peace You have for me. Show me where I allow unnecessary stress to rule in my life, and help me to take steps to alleviate it. Teach me to simplify my life, so that I can live better and be healthier. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
Omartian, Stormie. The Power of a Praying Mom (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2015), p. 122.
The Art of Choosing True Life 