Fall is the season when the weather changes in ways many of us do not like. It gets colder. The leaves fall off the trees, and the barren landscape they leave behind has been shown to make some people enter a mental state called seasonal depression. I used to be one of those people who disliked the fall, but now I accept it as a necessary part of life. I have also come to see the good side of it and embrace the good in order to keep my spirit uplifted until the spring comes. For example, I have discovered and come to enjoy the wonderful fall produce that I did not eat or even know existed. Case in point, once my oldest son was sick during the fall, but he would not eat the soup my husband prepared while at home caring for our son. The Lord directed me to make a different type of soup out of fall veggies that have a sweet taste. My youngest son, who is a very picky eater, ate all of his soup before his brother finished. That is rare!
How does that relate to your health and fitness journey? Right now, some of you may feel like its fall in regard to your journey. I know it is difficult to go to another therapy session regarding anorexia or bulimia, and it is hard to remain on the health and fitness battlefield when your flesh urges you to give up and stop believing you can be victorious through Christ. You feel the pull of fatigue because of your busy schedule. Sore muscles tell you to rest. Personal issues distract you and demand to be given priority over your health and fitness routine. However, you should be able to see behind the veil of these lies by now and embrace the positive side of what you have been and will experience in the future. The Bible says, “I reckon the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed within us” (Romans 8:23). The gains you have made, even if you have only just begun, far outweigh the struggle because you are worth the fight for deliverance!
No, it is not easy to break free of the cycle of obesity and eating disorders, but the Bible says, “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). God says your season of entanglement with the sin of gluttony has ended! Your sin of failing to take care of your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, by eating and drinking for the glory of God has passed (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 10:31)! It is time to renounce the false gods you have made of your stomach, food, beverages, and even your ideal body shape or weight, and return to the One True Living God! Then sow the seeds of change in your life by eating for God’s glory and repairing the damage you have done to the temple of the Holy Spirit. God promises that in due season you will reap the harvest of health and fitness for life if you do not quit (Galatians 6:9).
Instead of listening to the whining voice of fatigue, declare that the joy of the Lord is your strength as you continue to eat, drink, and exercise for His glory (Nehemiah 8:10). When pride tells you that you have earned a day of rest, remember that you must work while it is day, for the night of obesity, anorexia, bulimia, and orthorexia related sickness, disease, and premature death is coming when no man can work (John 9:4). When negative circumstances arise to deflect your attention from the task at hand, like Nehemiah you must defiantly declare that I am doing a great work for the Lord (Nehemiah 6:3), and I will not come down and cause the work of rebuilding the temple of the Holy Spirit and the protective walls of my mind through Christ to cease! I encourage you, my brothers and sisters, to stay the course. Put one foot in front of the other and press on. You are not on the battlefield alone.
If you’re ready to embrace your season of health, fitness, and weight loss success, then register today for the Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries Health and Fitness Master Class, featuring Dr. Tara Cannon, author of Health and Wellness for the Believer, Elsa Oliver, Christian nutritionist, and Debra Jones, first lady and corporate personal trainer. The classes are free! There are no registration fees or membership fees! Participants are only responsible for the cost of the class materials. Classes begin online only on Monday, January 24, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. CST! Space is limited. Sign up now at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org! If you are unable to take the course, 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, 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!
