The Temple of the Holy Spirit

I'm overweight.....for those of you who really know me well....you know what a struggle...and an issue....my weight as been for me for most of my life....not just my adult life!!! Even being thin was a problem for me.....as I became anorexic as a teenager. That might be a revelation to some of you....but, as I'm learning in our Esther Bible study.....sometimes it's okay to go ahead and reveal certain things about ourselves, that we have previously kept secret.

We never know who is listening....reading....that might need to hear it....that can relate!!!

I never watch Oprah!!! I've not supported her at all since she came out a few years ago and made her crazy comments about her opinion on God!!! But God....BUT GOD....led me to watch her show yesterday afternoon. As most of you know, Oprah has battled with her weight for as long as she's been on television and big productions have been made when she would loose weight....probably to boost her ratings. On this particular show, she talked about her weight gain, and what she felt led to it. It could have been me sitting there saying every single thing that came out of her mouth. I was even impressed that she said something about the body that God had blessed her with. She mentioned that food was her "drug of choice"....and that's so me, too!!!

Here are some questions that were asked that I think each of us who struggle with being overweight need to ask ourselves:

Why am I overweight?

The answer to this shouldn't be "because I eat too much"....it needs to be what the underlying cause is.

What am I really hungry for?

Again...don't answer this with "fries"...."chocolate"....."ice cream". Really search yourself and decide what void you're trying to fill up with food.

Why have I been unable to maintain weight loss in the past?

Don't just say, "because I went back to eating too much". Often it's just because we become so stressed out over life itself, that we turn to food for comfort!!

Why do I want to loose weight?

One of the wrong answers given was "because I want to look good in a bathing suit"....or because a certain event is coming up. My own personal answer to this question is....because I want to quit abusing the body that God gave me!!!

I realize that several of my blog posts have been related to being overweight....but I think this is a topic that is very, very close to the heart of a lot of us girls. As I sat down to do my Bible study one afternoon, I asked God to speak to me about my weight problem thru the study. I had almost reached the end of my lessons....and on the very last page....here's what Ms. Beth had to say:

"......fasting to feasting. What's a great celebration without food anyway? Aren't you thankful God dictated food to taste good and not just be good for you? Let's remember amid this out-of-kilter culture that food is not the problem. Gluttony is. Feasting is not an unspiritual way to celebrate. If our worship is in the right place, we really can bless the food and mean it. "

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NIV)
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

According to this verse of scripture....the problem isn't the "food" itself. Nothing is "off-limits"....because EVERYTHING that God created is good. The problem is our mis-use of the food...using it for something other than what it was intended for.

I don't want to be skinny....I don't even care about being "thin". I just want to be the weight that God wants me to be!!! For the remainder of my life, I would like to be able to honor HIM in everything.....including taking better care of the body He blessed me with!!!

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Dear Precious Heavenly Father, I ask Your forgiveness in how I've mistreated the body that You gave me. From the time that I accepted Your Son, Jesus, as my Savior, Your Holy Spirit has dwelled in me...and I've not taken care of Your dwelling place. I pray that You will lead me and guide me, God, in the coming days to come to You in prayer, and to turn to Your Holy Word when I feel weak....when I'm stressed.....when I need comforting....when I'm lonely....whatever the emotion is that causes me to try to fill up the longing I have with food....instead of feasting on You!!!

In Your Most Precious Love....AMEN!!!

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In His Most Precious Love...and with mine!!!