I belong to a home women’s Bible study group, and last week, our discussion was from Mark 6.
When we got to the story of how Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:30-44), intrigue gripped me.
I wondered: What lessons about supernatural provision could I learn that would apply to weight loss?
I asked the Lord about it in prayer. Later that day, He answered me.
If you are believing God for a health blessing on your weight loss journey, here are four things to check to ensure you don’t block your blessing.
1. Are you acknowledging God as your source?
Are you relying on God to supply wisdom and strength daily to do the right thing, or are you relying on your own willpower?
If the latter, you are looking in the wrong place. Willpower runs out eventually, and your flesh gets weary, but God’s strength never runs out.
That is why it is wise for you to start each day in prayer, humbly asking God for His wisdom to make wise choices and the strength to carry them out that day.
2. Are you blessing the transformation process or cursing it?
Many years ago, I watched a reality show called Bulging Brides, which featured women working to get in shape for their weddings. The show supplied each of them with a fitness trainer and a nutritionist to help.
However, instead of embracing the process to change their bodies, the women complained about it constantly.
They complained about the food the nutritionist asked them to eat. They complained about the exercise the fitness trainer asked them to do. These women were cursing their efforts! While they did lose weight in time for their weddings, their cursed effort would likely make them gain it back afterward.
Why? Because the same eating and exercise pattern that helped them lose weight was going to be the same one they would need to maintain it! So why curse it?
Don’t do what they did. Speak words of encouragement to yourself every time you eat healthily and exercise, knowing that blessing your effort will not only help you get the results you want but ensure you keep them.
3. Do you have doubtful habits that need breaking?
Consider the warning in James 4:17:
“Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, it is sin.”
If you are maintaining a thought pattern or habit that you know is not good, then that is a doubtful habit that you need to break out of your life.
The first place to break it is in your heart. As long as your heart believes you need that habit to get you through the day, it will remain. You need a new belief.
Ask God to change your heart as you renounce your connection to the doubtful habit and express your desire to keep it out of your life in obedience to Him.
He will show you the provision you have made for the doubtful habit, how to remove that provision and how to move forward without the habit.
But understand that every change comes with a period of adjustment. Be willing to go through that period of adjustment as you learn a better way to get through the day.
You will learn to walk in faith and enjoy each day more as you leave doubtful habits behind!
4. Is your transformation in service to kingdom business?
While looking good is nice, I believe God will bless your weight loss efforts when your primary reason is about kingdom business, not to “show them” or look good in a bathing suit.
Here are some examples of kingdom reasons to lose weight:
- Being a good example for your family
- Remaining an energetic mate for your spouse
- Serving as a positive role model for a struggling friend
- Having vitality to use your spiritual gifts to benefit the body of Christ
- Being able to go where the Lord sends you without excess weight standing in the way
Use 12-year old Jesus’ words as your guide. Luke 2:49 records them: “How is it that you searched for Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
Think about how you are moving through your day now:
- Do you conduct your daily affairs with kingdom business in mind?
- Are you instead focused on entertainment and habits that indulge your flesh?
If the latter, then it’s time to get focused on kingdom business. In the end, that is what matters most in life.
If you look at your weight loss effort as a means to help you better conduct kingdom business, you will add a whole other dimension to it and make it more likely that you will stick with it.
To receive the fullness of God’s blessing on your weight-loss journey, make sure you apply these four principles from Mark 6. Not only will you find the process easier, but you will find it more enjoyable! {eoa}
Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify to God’s healing power to end binge-eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight-loss website takebackyourtemple.com. Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.
This article originally appeared at takebackyourtemple.com.
Abby Trivett 
James Lasher 
Charisma Staff