Delight in Obedience

At first I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about for this week. Last week I shared about the idea of Desperation and degradation and the week before I shared what I've learned that made me feel empowered. This is something I've never really thought about before but Lysa did it again as I'm reading "Made to Crave" this week. In chapter eight she describes an experience that made her resent her body even if it was something that most would consider "silly." To her it was a big deal and made her dislike the way God made her!

I think most of us have moments like that. Some point in our lives where we felt that our body was inadequate. The sad part is that usually it's somebody else that gives us that idea in the first place! For me it was in high school. You could say my sister and i were complete opposites and frankly we still are but as adults we love each other for those differences. She was "popular" going out with friends all the time, into fashion etc. I had a few close friends, hated all the gossip and talk that went along with being "popular." I was happy staying home reading, being on the computer, doing puzzles. You get the idea. My sister and I fought often. Like most siblings. she knew just what to say to make me upset. "You're FAT!"



I heard it so many times that I truly began to believe it! I had a terrible "self image" and was constantly worrying about what others thought of me. Now, I was never happy with my body to begin with. We grew up on lots of sugar and fast food.  I was never "small" which I was well aware of but those words dug in deep because that's what Satan does. Makes us believe the lies!

 As I'm reading along I realized something i haven't before. I've lost about 30 pounds in the past by tracking my calories and exercising regularly. Eventually I got to a point where the scale wasn't moving anymore. Instead of figuring out what needed to change and doing the work to make it happen I got lazy, gave up on my calorie tracking and exercising. Lysa tells us something profound.

"Sweet friends, we need to define ourselves by our obedience , not a number on the scale" 

That right there is what I was doing! Sure As a teen I wasn't eating foods that would bring obedience to God but I wasn't a Christian either. As a mom on a weight loss mission I was staying in my calorie range during my weight loss journey. I was exercising regularly and part of a community of people on the same journey. I was missing one important piece though! I was basing my success on the scale and NOT my obedience to God and how He wanted me to treat my body!

Even this week as I had thought I'd done a good job the previous week with my food. I'm still eating very little sugar, made healthy choices but I gained a pound instead of losing. I wasn't thinking about the fact that I'm doing way better about my sugar consumption than what used to be my constant craving for it. I wasn't thinking about the fact that I'd not eaten cupcakes at lunch at church (even though I knew they'd be delicious). I was thinking about that silly number in front of me! Yes I did decide to start tracking my calories because that works for me but when I get on that scale again in a few days I'll know I was being obedient in my food choices because Romans 12:1-2  tells us

"I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Next Monday, when I step on that scale, no matter the outcome, I'm going to think of my week and my obedience to God in presenting my body as His holy temple and honoring Him with the way I treat it. If that scale number is lower I'll be thrilled! If not though, I know I'm doing what God wants me to do and honoring Him with my spiritual worship.

What have you learned this week through this Bible study?
If you haven't checked out the Proverbs 31 Bible study yet take a look! You can still join in by going here.