“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9, NKJV).
“Follow your faith, not your fear.” I woke up one morning with those words in my head. For a long time in my weight loss journey, I had let myself get down to a certain size but wouldn’t let myself go any further. I was afraid of what would happen if I did.
Now I know what I was afraid of: I was afraid of standing out. I didn’t want to be different. Most of the people around me weren’t concerned about nutrition; most didn’t exercise; and most, as Henry David Thoreau once said, were living lives of “quiet desperation.” Many were stuck in unhappy situations but didn’t do anything to change them.
But you are different. Why? Because you have the courage to change, and you are using that courage. The most miserable situation of all is knowing the right thing to do but not doing it. For a long time, I knew I “should” lose weight. I knew I “should” eat healthy. I knew I “should” exercise. I knew I “should” take care of myself. As you can see, I was “shoulding” all over myself!
But the “shoulds” didn’t change anything. All they did was keep me stuck and depressed.
Nothing changed until I took action. Each day, I started doing something that moved me closer to that for which I was believing. I followed my faith. Even if it was only something small, I did what I could do, and that was enough.
So it will be with you. Today, follow your faith and not your fear. Do the things that will bring out the best in yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. And you will glorify God and inspire others with your excellence and courage.
Remember that you are never alone. God is always with you.
It takes courage to declare what you want and work toward it. It takes even more to stay the course in the face of opposition. Most people you meet won’t be health conscious, so you will probably stand out in some cases. You might have situations when everyone else is eating with abandon and some part of you wants to fit in with them. It’s not always easy, but during those times, strive to keep the focus on doing what’s best for you and your own health.
We’ve all been given the ability to choose between life and death. By choosing the path of health, you are choosing life. It’s not the popular choice, but it is the wise choice.
Physical Freedom Assignment
It’s time to consider obstacles. If you’ve attempted to lose weight in the past, what got in your way? What was the thing that tripped you up and made you want to quit? Make a list of these things.
With your obstacles list in hand, now consider the things you can do to overcome them. Pray for God’s wisdom. You can also ask someone who has already been successful with weight loss for their tips in overcoming obstacles.
The more complete your plan is for dealing with obstacles, the more you will be able to handle any challenges that come up.
Kimberly Taylor is the author of The Weight Loss Scriptures and many other books. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify of God’s goodness and healing power. Visit takebackyourtemple.com and receive more free health and weight-loss tips.
