Some of you awesome ladies are doing a 21 day detox with me on our Members Forum. I am getting such good material out of it all, thanks ladies. One thing that keeps popping up is the question of “How do we turn this thing of Food Addiction or Eating Disorders around?”
It is huge really, and like the titanic it turns slowly but surely!
Right now you might feel like a baby who is trying to walk on wobbly legs. You might be dealing with your issues, but don’t see any weight loss. You might be eating better but can’t seem to get a grip on exercise. Or you might not quite get a handle on this surrender-your-life to God thing yet.
Let me remind you of something: To find true victory in this area of your life, you need to MAKE UP YOUR MIND. Just like Daniel we find ourselves in a world full of temptation and we need to go into the battle every day with a heart that is set on doing what God wants. Like Daniel we have to decide ahead of time: “I will not eat this stuff anymore. I will not defile my body. I will not sin against my God”
However this is easier said than done. I’m sure some people wake up one morning with this kind of RESOLVE. Other humans like me have to walk it out a bit. I came to that place of resolve with the help of God before and stayed there for years at a time. However, other times the enemy stole it from me and I started bargaining again (it’s not so bad, I can eat what I want, I don’t need to spent time with God every day, I don’t have to exercise every week, I’m strong enough…) I’ve came to realize that I would keep feeling out of control (even if it’s just not quite getting a handle on things) until I found that place of firm resolve again.
So what I’m trying to tell you is this: It takes a while to get there. You will very likely first go through a PREPARATION PHASE of falling and getting up when you first make up your mind. Remember the baby learning to walk though: Keep getting up, and keep making up your mind to do the right thing until that resolve resonates in your heart.
You might have to go through a few 21-days-of-detox or 40-days-of-committing-your-life-to-God, but NONE OF THOSE COMMITMENTS ARE IN VAIN. Not even the ones where you failed miserably. It is all preparation to get you to that place of resolve. As you walk through the struggles and sort some things out with God your resolve gets stronger.
If you get through a few months now, you might be at that place of strong resolve in January. If you start with a detox or 40 day commitment on January 1st, it might take a few months of preparation into the New Year to get there.
It’s hardly ever just about “turning the corner”. It takes time! However, when you do get to that place of strong resolve you will have “grown” a stubborn Daniel-attitude of: I will spend time with my God NO MATTER WHAT. I will exercise NO MATTER WHAT. I will not eat the things that harm me NO MATTER WHAT. Solving problems or stress with food is NO LONGER AN OPTION!
It’s important to note that in that place of resolve weight loss happens, and it sure is a pleasant by-product!
So PLEASE don’t give up ladies. You might be in the PREP PHASE right now but you are getting there!
Remember Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (NIV)
In His Love!
Heleen
PS: Week 11 of my 12 Week Online Program deals in more detail with Temptation and setting our hearts on God for good.