
How much weight have you lost since you started your health and fitness journey? How many inches have you subtracted from your waist, arms, and thighs? What size do you wear now? Have you made any measurable progress in regard to your eating disorder? Most importantly, how do you feel about what you have accomplished so far? When the scale reveals that you have only lost a few ounces, do you get upset? Instead of rejoicing over the five (5) pounds you have lost, do you feel like you are wasting your time? Do you complain because you have not dropped a dress size even though your current clothes fit loosely? Are you tempted to skip a therapy session and simply give in to your eating disorder triggers?
The negative outlook of your circumstances is the enemy’s strategy to affect the way you see things for two (2) reasons. First, Satan wants to keep you in bondage to gluttony or otherwise failing to eat and drink for the glory of God. Second, he wants you to remain ensnared or to become entangled with the yoke of bondage again. However, the Bible teaches us not to despise small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin (Zechariah 4:10 NLT). You have to start from zero, then work your way up to 25, 90, or 200 pounds of lost weight. Since you cannot skip any numbers along the way, be grateful for every step closer to reaching your goal weight.
Likewise, the eating disorder had a starting point. You can probably clearly recall the first time you chose not to eat for a prolonged period or what initially motivated you to binge and purge. Consequently, you must make positive changes to your behavior and continue to practice those changes on a daily basis just as you used to habitually incorporate the negative eating behaviors into your daily lifestyle.
In other words, recognize that you are winning, and the enemy is playing mind games with you in order to get the upper hand again. If God, Himself, rejoices over the fact that you are moving in the right direction, why aren’t you? Instead of feeling like you are failing to make substantial progress, grumbling because you are not as far along as someone else, or complaining because you do not see results as quickly as you would like to, have a Holy Ghost party in thanksgiving for what you have already been given and eagerly anticipate that the best version of you is yet to come!
An artist always has a picture in his mind before he sketches, paints, or sculpts. God, the Ultimate Artist, did the same thing with Adam before forming him from the clay (Genesis 1:26, 2:7). He already knew the end result before He began to mold Adam’s body. It is the same with us when we submit to God’s will to honor Him with our bodies by eating and drinking for His glory. He already knows what the end result will be. Though it may not look or feel like you are making any progress from your perspective, do not give up! You are a work in progress. Instead, declare out loud, “Lord, I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made! Your works are wonderful! I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14). Then diligently continue the repairs to the temple of the Holy Spirit with great joy and expectation as you get one healthy meal, workout, and trigger-free day closer to seeing with your own eyes that you are God’s masterpiece (Psalm 139:14).

If you believe that you are God’s work of art, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God. Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips. Tune in to our syndicated radio show on the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends. Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!