We have all been there... countless attempts at dieting and exercising to lose weight and get healthy. Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach Diet, the Master Cleanse, Jenny Craig, Nutra System, etc, etc. Most of us see results at first, but time will show that what we have started is too difficult to continue and nearly impossible to maintain. I was in this same boat. Since third grade I have dealt with issues regarding food and my weight. I had lived a lifestyle of the yo-yo dieter. Yes I was healthy looking at times, other times, not so much. Regardless of where my body was, one underlying factor remained. I was obsessed with food!!! I thought about it all the time. Food had an enormous stronghold in my life, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't in my own strength overcome its hold on me. That is until I had a revelation which changed my life forever. Not only am I now living in a healthy body, more importantly I am living free from the bondage of food. How did this happen? I realized in my last weight loss journey over a year and a half ago what I had been doing to myself all these years...putting myself under LAW!
As a believer it was easy for me to understand that I could not earn my salvation, hence the need for our beautiful Savior. No matter how good I behaved, all my righteousness would be like filthy rags. For all have sinned in word, thought or deed and fallen short of His glory. Therefore, if I knew that I needed Christ to receive my salvation, who was I to think that I could earn my healthy body by my own self effort? Don't get me wrong.. the lifestyle I live would appear that I live under self effort; for what I physically do is in itself a "work". The difference, however, is that before, my works were birthed from my own attempt to control and earn what I wanted. It took my will power to lose weight, my will power to keep it coming off, and my will power to maintain it. That took a lot of will power that frankly was not very dependable. Now, the "works" that you see me live out is birthed from a changed heart. A heart that relied on His abundance of Grace to transform, shape and mold me into who I am today. He helped me to see myself as He sees me- as His temple, His beloved daughter and the righteousness of Him because of the finished work of the cross. Now that I have a revelation of who I am, why would I want to treat my body any other way than what causes it to prosper. "All things are permissible/lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial. I have the right to do anything- but I will not be mastered by anything". (1 Cor 6:12)
So, one can in fact put themselves under a self imposed law of any means and see results (a form of glory) , but how much more Glorious is that which is conceived from being under Grace. (2 Cor 3:9) As you read this full text in ch.3, it clearly reveals to us how we fall from Grace and its supply of power when we put ourselves under law. Not to mention, putting our selves under law just strengthens our desire to rebel against it. (1 Cor 15:56) Why would you want to set yourself up for failure?
Determine today to admit that you NEED Him and His unmerited favor to see your success in this area of life. That my friends, is always the first step in receiving your salvation in whatever area you are overcoming.
To be continued.........
So good Andrea! Amen..so be it in me!
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