New Year’s Weight Loss

 As I write this in late January, I am thinking about the “special feelings” of this time of year.  Christmas decorations go down, the gym ads come in, and the depression goes up.  Doesn’t it seem (well, for most of us anyway) that we were so committed to that new healthy eating and exercise plan last year and now have to face the music that we didn’t do too well at that commitment.  So, you step on the scale, let out a sigh, and vow once more to make it happen.

I am now in my fifties.  I am beginning to feel that my body doesn’t want me to lose weight.  While I do have health issues that make that mountain even taller, the truth is that I KNOW what I have to do for success.  It’s just the DOING of it that seems to get in my way! And, it’s the knowledge that it’s a FOREVER commitment.  No once and done.

But did you realize that you can have excess weight spiritually?

Well, let’s take a moment to take inventory of what consumes our thoughts.  Jot down your top three things that consume your mental and spiritual energy. What is coming to your mind?  Anger? Depression?  Resentment? Fear/Anxiety?   Busy-ness? And now let’s ask:  How does ruminating on all that make you feel?  Energized? Ready to accomplish God’s work? 

Hardly.

Let’s deeply consider this passage in Hebrews 12: 1-3. (Amplified Bible). Read it slowly:

"Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].  He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds."

Now let’s look at our top three list again; do they qualify as an “unnecessary weight” OR a sin that soooo easily entangles?  I love how the Amplified Bible paraphrases it…deftly and cleverly.  We may think we have every reason, right and justification to spend time and energy on those items.  They have their own section in our purses, so to speak, we are so used to having them around.  But if it hinders our faith walk and gets our eyes off Jesus, makes us stoop rather than sprint, then it’s time for a spiritual liposuction! 

So how do we do this?  For me, I have a spiritual accountability circle of friends… my spiritual “weight watchers” club if you will.  When I am entangled (groan, again), I ask my accountability circle to help me see my need and pray with me and check in with me for progress.  (Side note: accountability is not really asking “So how are you doing”, but rather “WHAT are you doing”.) I am evaluating my spiritual diet: regular time in study and devotional reading of God’s Word. If we spend more time on Facebook than in the Faithbook, our souls are starved!  I’m also evaluating the mental and emotional tapes I’m playing in my head to see if these are in line with the Truth of God’s Word.  Pounds quickly add up the more I focus on how I feel rather than what I KNOW of God and His promises:

• “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (While the meaning is pertaining to living under the law, it has application with living under lies and unconfessed sin). Gal. 5:1
• “Cast your cares upon the Lord, for he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7  Great weight loss verse right there!”
• “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise, making the most of the time because the days are evil” Eph. 5:15.
• “Set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth…for our (new, real) life is hidden with Christ in God” Col. 3:2.

…and many, many others.

Ladies, I may not lose the physical weight I want to this year.  But I am determined that the spiritual weight and hindrances are going to get my priority attention.  It is said that change does not happen until the pain of changes becomes less than the pain of where you are.  I’m ready.  Are you?