Wasn't that me just yesterday?

The first time I had to think about managing my weight, I was a junior in high school.  I specifically remember thinking, “This sucks.  I am going to have to think about this for the rest of my life.”  Little did I know, right?  The more accurate thought would have been, “ I am going to have to think about managing the weight of hundreds of people for the rest of my life.”  Thankfully, the Lord has been so good to me these last few years, and I’ve been able to learn how to control my weight without having to give it too much thought. 

Anyways, once I realized that a super-skinny-even-though-I-eat-awful body wasn’t in the cards for me, I began to diet.  And it wasn’t pretty.  Fruits and vegetables?  Hated them.  Never mind the fact that I probably hadn’t tried any of them in 10+ years (so since the age of 7).  I needed to lose weight, and I wanted to do it quickly.  Does anyone remember Snapple-A-Day ? (because apparently I was too good for Slim-Fast).  When drinking my lunch panned out, I switched to eliminating an entire macronutrient – carbohydrates.  This worked for awhile, but things started to go downhill fast when I couldn’t go to a birthday party, eat at Olive Garden, or take communion.

Eventually, I discovered that eating right and exercising regularly actually does work.  I learned to love fruits and veggies – which I promise can happen.  But changing your eating habits and exercising regularly takes some effort.  And, most importantly, doesn’t happen overnight.  The recommendation for healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs of weight loss per week.  People don’t want to hear this.  We want to hear that we can lose at least 10 lbs by next Friday.  And here’s a confession: sometimes I find myself frustrated when someone tells me they aren’t willing to do what I recommend for weight loss because the results aren’t quick enough.

First of all, the fact that I would even be frustrated is crazy.  Wasn’t that me just, like, yesterday???

But, alas, I had thoughts of frustration just the other day.  And in that moment, in my heart, the Lord said to me, “Alex, isn’t this exactly like what you are doing right now?”  Because here’s the thing, I’m a worrier.  And lately, I have been anxious about some things.  And instead of trusting in the Lord and believing his promises, my instinct is to go around what I know I should do (pray, read Scripture, rest in Him) and try to get results my way.  I think this should happen or I want this, so instead of relying on God to work, I start to plan ways that I can take action to get what I want.  Yet, God is asking me to be patient and wait on Him.   

I can promise you that eating right and exercising will lead to weight loss.  Much more awesome is Jesus' promise in Matthew 6, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  I know what he’s asked me to do for today.  And that’s all I need to know.

So, whatever you may be worrying about today, I pray that we could "hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”