Time for a prison break
So there I was. My toddler, Katie, (now 5 and a half. Do NOT forget the half) was bouncing her chubbiness to Elmo, and I was scrambling for the camera. As I snapped a few shots, I caught a whiff. That’s all it took. It was 9:00, and no, I wasn’t hungry. But since when did hunger have anything to do with my passion for chocolate pie? I tell you, my heart rate actually increased over the thought of just one bite. So ok. I cut the tiniest sliver. And then another.
I’ll never forget that morning, because when half the pie was gone and I was still jamming in another bite, I realized I couldn’t stop.
That, my friend, is not freedom. That would be prison. Anyone else?
God created us to be free. His rules for living are to ensure that — to provide for and protect us from becoming enslaved. When we break those rules, we walk into the prison cells He commanded us to avoid. The good news? He literally died to set us free.
Satan tells us there’s no hope for real change. Being overweight is just part of who we are. But the truth? The door to our prison is NOT locked, because of what Jesus has done. With His help, we can choose to walk out of jail.
So the question is, will you choose freedom today? I promise, it’s what you truly want.
Psalm 107:10 -16
10 Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God
and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12 So He subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love
and His wonderful deeds for men,
16 for He breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.
Let’s pray them together:
10 Lord, we certainly have felt like prisoners in a dark, gloomy cell… We have felt helpless before the draw of food and we’ve given up trying to exercise in the past. As a result, we’ve felt like prisoners in our overweight, weakened bodies. We’ve been chained up with shame and disgust with ourselves, yet felt helpless to change.
11 We confess that we put ourselves in this prison cell by choosing to disobey Your commands to honor You with our bodies. We followed other areas of Your Word, but somehow excused this one…thus, we “despised Your counsel.” Forgive us Lord!
12 So You’ve allowed us to experience the consequences of those choices — the “bitter labor” of ongoing fatigue, embarrassment about our appearance, sometimes even a lack of sex drive with our spouses. When we realized the mess we were in, we found no solution — the fad diets, the exercise gimmicks… They didn’t work because they never dealt with the heart of the issue: our sin.
13 So we’re crying out to You now in our trouble! We need new hearts and new minds that desire Your will for our bodies. We repent, Father — we want Your will now. We praise You, because just like You save Your children from their distress when they call out to You! Hallelujah!
14 You are breaking us out of the darkness of laziness and gluttony, out of the deep gloom of the shame we have felt… You are BREAKING OUR CHAINS this very day!
15 We give thanks to You Lord that You never stopped loving us, even when we despised Your commands and straight up disobeyed. The things You do and the way You love are so wonderful,
16 because You break us out of every cell of captivity when we choose to repent and obey.
Oh how much we love You, Lord – help us obey and be glorified in our exercise and our eating today.
In Jesus’ Name,
AMEN
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
2009/07/01 Changing our minds
Welcome to Get up – Get free!
This blog is dedicated to breaking free from gluttony, starvation and laziness in regard to exercise. The difference here? No diets. No formulas. We don’t even rely on willpower. Instead, we’re out to change our thinking through praying Scripture.
Ever tried dieting? (Is there any diet we haven’t tried?!) The focus is usually on changing behavior. But our actions follow what we think. If we believe food will bring us comfort, we’ll usually run to food when we’re stressed or broken-hearted. If we think being stick-thin will make us happy, then we’ll starve ourselves. But lies lead to bondage. Momentary euphoria from stuffing ourselves gives way to shame. Momentary pride in our size one jeans gives way to the drive toward the next size smaller. Either way, we find ourselves deeper in chains.
If we truly want to be free, we have to change more than our behavior, we have to change our thinking. Entirely. We’ve got to isolate the lies we’re believing and replace them with the truth of God’s Word. Then, we “will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 *
And that’s what this blog is all about. Several days a week I’ll post a Scripture and a devotional. I’ll end by praying the Scripture as it applies to food issues and exercise. Want to come along? Would love to journey with you to the promised land of healthy living.
Psalm 16: 5-6,8 *
5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Pray verse 5: Father, You have planned each moment of this day. You even know what choices I will make and the consequences of those choices, and You’ve worked them into Your plan…You have assigned me to my place in life right now — the comfortable blessings, the difficulties, my family/friends. You have made my future secure with good things and events. Things that will draw me to You, purify me and set me free. I can rest and be free of fear.
Pray verse 6: Help me not believe the lie that Your rules will make my life a drag. As I obey, I have found your boundaries for my life bring freedom and satisfaction! Satan tells me being a couch potato will bring me comfort, but it doesn’t. I feel shame and exhaustion. I’m tempted to think overeating will fill my empty heart, but it doesn’t. I end up even emptier after a binge. I’m finding Your way to live is how I was built to live. I know part of that plan is for me to exercise and stop eating when I’m full. The “inheritance” that comes with obedience in that area is wonderful – energy, strength, slim physique and health. What a delightful inheritance…I want that, Lord.
Pray verse 8: I am committing to You to obey in the area of exercise and eating this week, Lord. I have chosen to set You before me as my King – as GOD. So You’re in charge. You’re also keeping me in the center of Your gaze. Help me remember that I am not alone. Because You are holding my hand and empowering me to obey, I will NOT be shaken. I will stand firm. I will obey.
Father, we give our weak bodies to You. Please forgive us for any gluttony, starvation or laziness in the past, and strengthen our bodies as we obey. We commit to honor You with our bodies this week and exercise 3 times. Help us hold each other accountable and be real with each other. Help us carry through on this commitment, especially when we feel tired or overwhelmed. We give ourselves to You -
In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
- All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
