Genesis 3 tells us the story of the first recorded sin in the Bible. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Yes, they were tempted by the serpent and even lied to by the serpent but then thats normal - the enemy will always lie to us to try to trap us into sin. When God came to walk with Adam and Eve they hid from God. But God called and Adam answered. God asked them if they had eaten the forbidden fruit and Adam's first response was to blame Eve. Eve's first response was to blame the serpent. It would seem our natural human tendency is to pass the buck - to blame someone else for our mistakes.
I'm not sure why this is our natural tendency - maybe because we don't want to take responsibility. Maybe we don't want to admit we've failed. Maybe we don't want to admit we need help. That was me. I blamed everything else for why I ate. I blamed it on the person that made me mad or the situation that caused me stress. It almost seems like I thought if I was eating in response to a situation that the calories didn't count or they'd go away when the situation got better. But that wasn't the case.
While it's true I am not responsible for things that are done to me - I am responsible for how I respond. When I eat in response to stress, loneliness, anger, or any other outside stimulus I am responsible for that choice. My name is Eric. I'm a believer in Christ who struggles with food and making healthy eating choices. I am responsible for every calorie that goes in and every calorie that gets burned off. At least I'm responsible for the choices that burn extra calories - God created my body to do the burning.
Instead of always blaming others we have to own our sin, our weakness, and our failures and admit that we are powerless and our lives are out of control. Then we're prepared to recognize that a power greater than us, Jesus, is able to fully restore us to sanity as we turn our will and life over to Him. My journey has been and continues to be all about willpower - my will submitted to God's power. When my will is not submitted I don't make good choices. When it is, we win.
Less of me. More of Him.
-Eric
This blog is set up to chronicle a journey to health and freedom. While I will be reporting on my physical health I believe that as a result of this journey I will also have a spiritual awakening and become more like Christ. Upon arrival I believe I will truly be able to say, "less of me and more of Him."
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Stability
I've been in Alabama for 10 weeks. I've had two different jobs during that time while also some time between jobs. I'm still not real excited about where I'm working. I haven't locked into a church home yet. I haven't found a CR program yet. I spend some time with my family in the area but most of my time I'm by myself. I've described the experience as being unstable or lacking stability. And a lack of stability creates higher stress for me and my natural response is to want to eat.
So in the last month I have put back on some of the pounds I had lost and even the month prior to finishing the fundraiser weight loss challenge I struggled - I completed the task but it could have been more.
God is trying to teach me something in this. I haven't been listening very well yet or paying enough attention so I'm only starting to get it. And it's something I've taught before - I just never had to make it as real in my own life as I do now.
Stability or lack of is determined by where your feet are planted - not the circumstances of life going on around you. It's the simple lesson we learned in Sunday School so many years ago - but now I have to put it into practice.
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27.
When my feet are planted solidly on The Rock - Jesus Christ, I have stability in my life. When they aren't, I don't. The circumstances or winds of life are not what determine if I have stability. They actually don't really matter at all. What matters is where my feet are planted. In the last 10 weeks I feel like maybe I've been slipping sometimes - like my feet while on the rock have not been planted so well. This is the lesson God is wanting to teach me right now in real life - real time - and not just a Bible story.
God, plant my feet on the rock of Jesus and keep them there. Help me to keep my focus on where my feet are planted rather than what's going on around me. Through this grant me the stability that allows for continued good choices when it comes to food, exercise, and how I spend my time.
Less of me. More of Him.
-Eric
So in the last month I have put back on some of the pounds I had lost and even the month prior to finishing the fundraiser weight loss challenge I struggled - I completed the task but it could have been more.
God is trying to teach me something in this. I haven't been listening very well yet or paying enough attention so I'm only starting to get it. And it's something I've taught before - I just never had to make it as real in my own life as I do now.
Stability or lack of is determined by where your feet are planted - not the circumstances of life going on around you. It's the simple lesson we learned in Sunday School so many years ago - but now I have to put it into practice.
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27.
When my feet are planted solidly on The Rock - Jesus Christ, I have stability in my life. When they aren't, I don't. The circumstances or winds of life are not what determine if I have stability. They actually don't really matter at all. What matters is where my feet are planted. In the last 10 weeks I feel like maybe I've been slipping sometimes - like my feet while on the rock have not been planted so well. This is the lesson God is wanting to teach me right now in real life - real time - and not just a Bible story.
God, plant my feet on the rock of Jesus and keep them there. Help me to keep my focus on where my feet are planted rather than what's going on around me. Through this grant me the stability that allows for continued good choices when it comes to food, exercise, and how I spend my time.
Less of me. More of Him.
-Eric
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