“Does God really care about our weight?”
A young woman emailed me that question once after reading about my Christian weight loss success story.
I gave her the short answer, but it inspired me to look deeper at the subject.
In this article, I want to share my answer to that question as well as some other controversial questions surrounding weight loss programs for Christians.
Here are the questions:
- Does God care what you weigh?
- Can I ‘shame and guilt’ myself into changing?
- If I fall short in my plan, do I disappoint God?
- Can I eliminate the desire for quick fixes?
So let's begin with the answers...
1. Does God care what you weigh?
No, God does not care what you weigh because the Bible says that man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
I don’t believe God is in heaven with a scale and a tape measure, anxious if you gain a pound or two.
I believe He leaves the body size we choose to maintain up to us - just like He leaves our hairstyle and clothing choices up to us.
God loves you just as much at a size 28 as at a size 8.
Nothing you do can make Him love you more than he does now.
What does God care about?
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We are called to glorify God in body and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
In John 15:8, Jesus tells us how we glorify God:
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
The fruit the Jesus is talking about is the fruit of God's Spirit.
We are to bear much love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23).
Any thoughts or behavior that hinder your fruitfulness concern God.
In my case, compulsive overeating was that behavior – one that I was using to hide myself from emotional pain.
My excess weight was just an outward manifestation of what was going on in my heart.
So you see, the real issue is not about size, but stewardship.
God can teach you how to become a good steward of your body and remove the hindrances that keep you from bearing fruit.
Humble yourself and pray the same prayer that King David prayed in Psalm 139: 23-24:
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting."
Caring for your body requires wisdom and balance. Only with God’s help can you gain both.
As I learned to build my health through following Godly wisdom in my eating behavior and through disciplining my body with regular exercise, my weight took care of itself.
2. Can I ‘shame and guilt’ myself into changing?
I’ve read many articles about weight loss for Christians, and some seem to endorse the “shame your way to change” approach.
But that approach does not work. Well, not for long!
Why?
Because shame and guilt ignores the grace of God.
Trying to use shame as a motivator ultimately leads to frustration, hopelessness, discouragement, and depression.
But meditating on the grace of God, his goodness, and his love for you constantly leads to a renewed heart and inspires repentance (a change of heart and mind).
You acknowledge that God personally formed every part of your body skillfully and wonderfully, and you want to honor him by taking care of it.
A change in daily behavior is evidence of true repentance.
3. If I fall short in my plan, do I disappoint God?
The other issue I’ve seen is Christians thinking they are “disappointing God” by falling short in their weight loss plan.
But this too is an error in thinking.
Disappointment comes about when you expect something of a person and are surprised when they don’t come through.
But God already knows everything about you. He knows about your mistakes before you make them!
So how can you ever disappoint him?
Not only that, but he already has a plan in place to help you recover!
Secondly, there is really no way that you can fall short if you use each mistake as a building block, not a stumbling block.
What can you learn from the mistake that can propel you forward?
God is ever patient in teaching you the right way and leading you in the way you should go.
Remember Philippians 1:6:
…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
With that in mind, resolve to never give up on yourself.
Hold fast to your confidence.
4. Can I eliminate the desire for quick fixes?
I don't believe it is possible to eliminate the desire for a quick fix. I think that is part of our sin/flesh nature.
It's like little children on a road trip to Disney World continually asking their parents, "Are we there yet?"
When little children want something good, they don't want to wait to get it.
They want it now!
But as mature believers, we recognize the truth of the scripture that says that we inherit God's promises through faith and patience (see Hebrews 6:12).
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.
As I mentioned previously with self-control, it must be exercised to grow (see Galatians 5:22).
However with that being said, you'll never get to "Disney World" as long as you stay at home!
You have to get on the right road to it.
Then once you are on the road, you can enjoy the trip by reminding yourself that you will get there in time - encourage yourself continually.
You can also amuse yourself by making your goal a game daily. For example, count how many healthy choices you make each day and every day try to match or beat your previous score.
Finally, enjoy the scenery along the journey:
- Notice yourself getting stronger, fitter, faster than you were before
- Notice better muscle tone and less shortness of breath
- Enjoy the peace that comes from making wise health choices
All of these will ensure that you will not only enjoy your ideal size when you get it, but enjoy yourself all the way to it.
I hope this article clearly provides my stand on some controversial Christian weight loss questions.
And if weight is an issue for you, ask God to show you wisdom in how to handle it.
I am not special – the victory He gave to me, he can give to you!
Be blessed with health, healing, and wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Creator of the Take Back Your Temple program
P.S. When it comes to weight loss, do you often know what you should do but have a hard time doing it?
I struggled with this issue on my own weight loss journey, but I discovered that “Nothing is different until you think differently.” - Pastor James MacDonald
The value of the Take Back Your Temple program is that you will learn how to think differently through using Biblical keys to overcome obstacles.
You’ll discover how to win the Spiritual and mental battle that often causes us to become inconsistent and get off-track on our weight loss journey.
Join a community of other Christians losing weight and keep it off.
Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple program
Thank you for your Christ-centered answers! You definitely gave me food for thought!
I couldn’t agree more. I find when I’m tempted to overeat, calling on the name of Jesus is the only thing that saves me. God bless you for the work you are doing!
Thanks you so much for your comment, Leah – His is the best name to call on!
You are such a delight to read, I am always amazed how balanced and deeply wise your comments resonate with my own war-weary heart and weight management journey. I so appreciate your blogs. They feed me like mana.
Thank you for this information. I appreciate hearing what the Bible says . I have no thyroid. And ever since I’ve had it destroyed. I have struggled greatly with my weight. I have been on both sides of the fence. Being thin and being fat. So I know when you are thin you feel more confident in yourself. And I know that God wants us to walk with confidence because we are his creation. I hear so often other women talk about are weight. And we say to each other oh you look good. When we know. We have challenged choosing what outfit to wear that day. I often thought if it wasn’t important the way they look and feel about ourselves. Why is it we look forward to be perfect one day to meet up in the air where then we will be beautiful and perfect God’s creation. So I’m going to read this information that you. And I truly appreciate. I’m going to read it over and over. Because I don’t want to miss out on good information that could help me in life.
I am the director of a women’s Teen Challenge facility in Mississippi. If you are not familiar with teen challenge, we are a discipleship/rehab program for women who are dealing with life-altering addictions. We house 16 students from ages 18 and up and 6 staff members. I could use some real help in building a healthy eating plan for this many people on our limited budget. We find that most of our lady’s gain weight when they enter the program because they trade their outside addictions to food addictions. Any assistance/advice you could give would be very much appreciated! Blessings.
Tracy Kittrell, Exec. Director
Teen Challenge of Mississippi
Hi Tracy – may the Lord bless you in this worthy endeavor! You may find the following resources helpful:
Healthy Camp Food Guide (meal planning for groups): https://ssymca.org/media/uploads/homepage/docs/healthy-camp-food-guide.pdf
Good and Cheap (recipe book for meals on a budget): https://books.leannebrown.com/good-and-cheap.pdf
You can find more resources at Nutrition.gov and by Googling “healthy eating on a budget.”
Finally, I suggest checking out the work of Kathleen DesMaisons, who has many books about how addictions in one area can lead to addictions in others: https://www.radiantrecovery.com/resourcecenter/otheraddictions.htm
God bless you!
Wow! Love this so encouraging ♥️ I really like the “game” and how to count how many good choices I can make- I’ve lost 54# & have been stalled so this is a great motivator
Kim, you have done it again. You never cease to amaze. Always with a right now word from God. Thank you for obedience and diligence for this work. I’m still on the path, larger but still on the journey. God has soon me so much and the victory over emotional eating. I’m counting my wins and learning more about myself in my lessons and setbacks.
I give ALL glory to God for His wisdom. Nikki, may the Lord continue to bless you on this journey. It’s not always easy but it is always worth it!
Great article, thank you!
I agree with what you say. However, gluttony is a deadly sin. And through prayer God has made me perfectly aware that it is a form of idolatry when we substitute the false god of food with the beauty of a healthy relationship with God, others and ourselves.
Agree, Cheryl! However, weight issues and gluttony are not synonymous because you can have people who are slim, but still practice gluttony. They may be bulimic and look good on the outside but still have the severe heart issues. God wants to deal with us on the heart level, which is where life issues come originate!
This is a wonderful article. God DOES care about our heart. He wants us to be obedient to HIM-to run to HIM-not to food. Addiction to anything is moving away from God. Our focus should be on Him. Thank you for saying that last bit: God will do for me what He has done for you. It is wonderful to know how much He loves and cares for each one of us.
Thank you for the comfirmation, Lorraine – God bless you!
What I struggle with is the fact that over eating (gluttony) has been a battle all my life (before and after salvation) and therefore I am constantly thinking about it. I have heard that what we think about all the time is our idol. I do not want my obsession with food/weight to be my constant focus. Please pray for me. I know a lot of people would like to be my size (14-16) but I know that I struggle with emotional eating so I am not happy with the size/scales and lack of freedom. JESUS came to set us free and I want to be free of this! At times I cry out to God for HIM to change me. Only HE can change my heart. I struggle with my part in it. Do I just not want to work at it? I want it to be easy? There’s a slothful thought. Die to self , to my wants(food) and desires(sweets). So how do I balance my part with HIS part? I know HE can change me because HE took away my desire for alcohol when I was saved and it was a crutch too. Sometimes I say Lord, even if I never change I will love YOU and trust YOU. But please take away my constant thinking about it. Is it really all about looks? I know I would like to look better, have more energy, be able to find clothes that fit easier, etc, but I want to do it for HIM as HIS temple and partly for me. This is so hard because we have to eat. We do not have to drink or smoke or cuss, etc. I am an all or none type person. There is a battle in my mind. Help me. Do you do one on one counseling?
Hi Carolyn – You are not alone! Even the apostle Paul struggled in his flesh…and he wrote two-thirds of the New Testament! This article will show you the core of the issue you described so you’ll have insight into the REAL battle: Power to Do the Right THing
The other issue is protecting yourself from foods that hijack your brain. Think about it this way: If a doctor gave you a drug to put you to sleep before surgery, would you then condemn yourself for lack of self control when you woke up? Of course not. Willpower had nothing to do with it – your brain simply reacted to the drug given it.
While it is true that we have to eat, what we CHOOSE to eat is up to us. We can choose to eat foods that keep us emotionally stable PLUS taste good – insisting that our choices meet both standards. It’s a wise thing to do because our lives are not our own. God wants us to enjoy abundant life while joining in His mission to draw lost people to Christ.
While I don’t do one-on-one counselling (counselors typically help a person delve into issues from their past), I do group coaching via our private group with the Take Back Your Temple program. As a member, you can join us there so that you can receive prayer and support on the journey. It’s a lot easier when you have others walking with you!
Do I belong to this prayer group?
Hi Brenda – not sure what you mean. TBYT isn’t a prayer group per se, although we do have a group associated with our weight loss program and we certainly do pray. You can learn more about the Take Back Your Temple program here: https://takebackyourtemple.com/program
I understand what you’re going through because Im going through it too. I’ll be praying for you.Remember who you are.You are an overcomer in Christ Jesus. He’s the answer.
Wonderfully written my friend. Thank you.
I’m a 16 year old girl and I’ve been struggling with my weight for a while now. I was a bit overweight for my height, I’m 5’0 and I weighed 130 pounds. For the past year I would try to get on a healthy lifestyle, but would give up on it in a week. Three weeks ago I decided I would not give up on having a healthy lifestyle and was able to exercise at home and eat good food and lost 7 pounds. But a week ago I got completely off track and started eating junk food like crazy. I didn’t put on any weight back but I’ve been feeling groggy, out of energy and bloated. After reading this I feel like God is helping me to not give up on myself. I’ve decided right now to keep on exercising not only my body, but also my self control. Thank you so much for this! 🙂
Praise the Lord Rafaela – you sound wise beyond your years. Keep moving forward and God will be with you every step of the way!
Thank you for taking time to answer these questions. It was exactly what I needed to “hear” on so many levels!
Several months ago, I realized my weight problems were an outward manifestation of my heart. It is mental. Now, I’m trying to lose weight. However, I still feel discouraged, everyday. I think to myself, that loosing 100 pounds is not going to help you. You’ll still be the same old you. But something keeps telling me to go on. Because I feel like once I get to the root of this problem, it well help me deal with other problems. I’m not just trying to lose the weight, I am trying to lose the problems that make me gain the weight.
Thank you for this article, it was really helpful. May God continue to strengthen and bless you.
Dear sister, I praise God for you! I am so thankfulf for the wisdom and heavenly knwoledge that you have imparted.. it is a blessing from above and I feel so encouraged not to feel guilty anymore but pursue God’s welcoming kove and grace..
and i am so happy to hear again that God cares for what is weighing down my heart..
Much Love and Peace in Christ I send to you
Amen, Kiki – remind yourself often how much God loves and cares for you. That is the core of the Good News message!
Hi Kim!
Thank you for the article. I enjoy reading everyones feedback going back and forth in the comments. This article totally brings home the point that you your body truly is your temple.
Love your article and the responses.
God has been showing me lately how important it is to start with your heart first then actions.
Your heart being how you view yourself or more importantly how God views you in Christ. I loved how you took something theoretical like our identity in Christ and made it practical to something that so many people struggle with their weight. Beautifully said you have to renew your mind first before you get physical changes that stay long term. Keep up the good work of sharing our identity in Christ with others you truly our a bright light shining in a mixed up darkened confused world.
May the Lord continue to use you as a shining light
Mark
Hi Kim what a blessing this article is to me. I’ve struggled with the ups and downs of being overweight and I’m quite tired of it. I will take what you’ve written and run with it. Again thank you…..
Dear Kimberly i write you from Italy your words give me strenght becouse i’m passing trough a bad bad period i appreciate so mutch God bless you in your ministry Sara
Hello..I was calling out to God this morning over this issue. I have been on fasts..40 days once..but I had a spiritual goal for staying the course. I haven’t been able to do anything close ever since the completion of it. I called out to him to change me..give me something to look at for a goal..a reason to get there..something to hang onto to help me keep going. The scripture..knife to the throat came to mind..and the one that ….food is deceptive. I felt that he told me to go look it up on the pute 🙂 I clicked on your link and read this. Thank you very much for this article. It is so complete with all the teachings I have ever had on the subject. I have even had training as a nutritional therapist. All the learning came together with the scriptural to show me the way. The way to cut through all the thoughs and feelings to begin again. I even had a doctor tell me that I would lose it “naturally”. This article helped me to put all that I know into place to know that I can begin again and know that I will get there this time 🙂 Thank you for the perfect way this was written for me.
Thank you for this wonderful article. I am inspired to exercise my faith, my patience, and my self control. I’ve been so tired of the condition I am in, and God used this article to realign my focus. I don’t feel ashamed or disappointed; yet, I feel rejuvinated and set free. Thank you for being obedient to God and letting him use you to help others.
Reading this article has been an incredible way to start my morning and my new beginning. I look in the mirror everyday and see ugliness, but you have reinforced the beauty that God sees. I am extremely interested in doing mission work and was scared that I was too flat to fly. Of course that was the devil’s wasy of trying to keep me stationary, but I wasn’t too flat to fly and I am craving more mission work. Something that I did learn is that I need to regain my health to be fully effective and what better day to start than today! Thankd you for your Biblical encouragement.
Hi Kim,
This is such a timely word. I love what you told Ben about the mind being renewed before the physical body changes. That is such a strong truth and is the path to true freedom! No diet will do that which is what I tell my clients all the time. Diets keep you in bondage. Changing on the inside first and then watching in freedom as the outside changes is God’s plan for us. Oh, and the scripture about being fearfully and wonderfully made? I’ve been known to “make” my clients quote that to me when they start beating themselves up! lol…I tell them they’re not allowed to talk about themselves that way. It’s become almost a fun moment with us now because they’ll say something about themselves and then say, “uh oh, now I’ve got to quote that scripture”!
Sister, Thanks for your website! I am collecting a set of tools to help my wonderful husband as he begins his journey toward the healthy body that God intends for him- already your website has been a great resource! The best part is that it is rich with scripture and founded in Biblical truth. Love it!
Interesting things to consider. I am definitely an overweight man and I’ve been that way since maybe 3rd grade. As I’ve been learning more about God and became a Christian, I have been noticing my sinful nature more and I’ve been realizing although gluttony is one of my many sins, much of the others could be lumped into the same catagory of lacking self control. I really don’t want to be a stumbling block for others to know of Christ, it’s bad enough when I don’t always say the wrong thing. Keeping this and personal reflection in mind, I may have to do something drastic in order to be a better witness. I just need to gain the confidence and rid myself of the inner coward. Thanks for the insight and let me know if you have any tips for a long time fatty / coward.
Hi Ben,
Wow. Your post really saddens me. So much condemnation in your words about yourself – calling yourself “fatty” and “coward”. Brother, you are insulting the one whom God has created! Before you can even change your outside, your mind must be renewed to the truth of what God says about you.
Nowhere in the bible do I see God condemning a person for being overweight – and certainly God did not call anyone “fatty!” In fact, there are only two instances in the bible that I know about in which a person was described as a fat person. One of them, Eli, was God’s priest. God did not rebuke him for being heavy – he rebuked him for allowing his sons to dishonor God in their temple service. See – God always deals with us at the heart level – regardless of what we look like on the outside. The religious people of Jesus’ day looked good but their hearts were far from God. Jesus described them as “white-washed tombs full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27).
Ben, for many years I put myself down like you are doing. I started when I was 12 – calling myself fat even though in hindsight I wasn’t. Now I know how powerful words are. Eventually “fat” became my mental identity and then it became my physical reality.
I had to learn to love myself at the size I was – before I even lost a pound. I had to renew my mind to what God says about me first. God commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves. That word “as” is important – to me, it means that God expects us to love ourselves. Furthermore, it means that our love of others will be limited if we cannot even love ourselves!
Whew – breathe Kim. Breathe.
Here’s what I want you to do the next time you find yourself calling yourself “fatty” or “coward”. Memorize these scriptures and use them to combat those lies. Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations with God’s word and that is how you will win the battle in your mind as well:
Psalm 139:14
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
2 Samuel 22:33-35
“God is my strength and power,
And He makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
My prayer for you is this: That each and every day God reveals to you what it means to be a true son of God as you are led by his holy Spirit in the decisions you make. That you gain the ability to cry out to him “Abba, Father!” For as Galatians 4:6 says, “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
That right thinking according to the bible will lead to right believing and right living. That you grow in the fruits of God’s spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. For it is only in sharing this fruit with others that they will have the desire to taste and see that the Lord is good.
This is what God desires – beauty that begins in the heart and outwardly expressed in glorifying him!
YES!! I love this article, thank you very much. I completely understand what you are saying about my body being the servant. I am in control, working for God therefore I CAN do it!! 🙂
Hi Christy! I love your enthusiasm and appreciate your compliments. Yes, you can do everything that God calls you to do through Jesus. Abundant life is yours…so go get it!
Thanks for this article. I remember asking you this question on FB. this gives a balanced view to weight loss. Its about self control and surrendering to God. And its a process. God Loves us and would not want us to be robbed of his best for us.
Hi Sarah (((HUG)),
Yes…now see what you’ve started? Seriously, I couldn’t get your questions out of my mind and I figured other people would have them too, so I figured I might as well tackle them here. I really appreciate you for asking them and I agree with your comment completely. I hope this information sets a lot of people free!
Kim
Hi there, I’ve had a weight problem for suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch a long time and I’m so ready to be delivered from it!!!! I’ve just printed some of the scriptures you provided (as well as some of your other information) which I hope to get into it tonight. Will keep you posted.
JJC – I appreciate your compliments on the article. You are right, only God can heal voids in the soul. Many people try to fill voids with addictions, whether it is food, alcohol, drugs, sex, or any number of things. It’s like trying fill a hole without a bottom, only this hole gets deeper the more false comforts you put into it. But when you seek the true healer and comforter, the hole is filled and wholeness is restored!
NJJ – Thank you – That is one of my favorite scriptures and one we can never hear enough of or meditate on.
T – Yep, you have to reach that point where it is no longer “I should change” or “It would be nice to change” but “I must change.” An intolerable situation will exist in your life as long as you are wiling to tolerate it. I am glad that you are ready to be delivered. With consistent, focused action, deliverance is yours! I can’t wait to hear your success story!
AWESOME!
Wonderfully put and very enlightening.
We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us….
This is a very well written article. I think it’s right on in truths and the fact that a body is just the soul manifesting fruits of the flesh and voids in the soul that only the Lord can heal. I really appreciate your interpretation and use of scripture.
This was truly some inspiring information. I am just totally blown away on the article that was written. My favorite part is how you explain what each scripture means. I believe most of the time we read these scriptures but really cant interpret what they really mean. So thanks so much for making it plain. I too believe that God doesn’t care about our weight, and God loves us unconditionally. However, I am a firm believer that he does want us to be healthy, thats why there are scriptures pertaining to gluttony and our bodies being a temple. I use to think that I was treating my body good because I didn’t smoke cigarettes, drugs, or drink alcohol. But I am learning that continuing to overload my body with unhealthy foods and unlimited amounts of food can also be critical to my temple and my health. If we begin to truly look at our bodies as a temple when it comes to eating, I believe alot of the health realted illnesses can be avoided. I am so blessed to have found this website last night. God truly does answer prayers, I had been feeling so depressed that thoughts of sucicide had crossed my mind. So thanks so much again Kim for your wisdom, courage, and strength. May God continuously bless you. And keep me in your prayers:)
Hi Shay (((HUG))), I am so humbled by what you said. And I am blessed that God gave me TBYT so that I can be His instrument in helping others with this issue. Yes, I do believe that God wants us to be healthy and there is enough evidence out there now that clearly says that eating food as close as possible to the way God made it is the best thing we can do for our health and well-being. God can give us the wisdom and strength to make better choices, day by day. But we have to be willing to not only find the information but apply it so that our lives are changed for the better. Shayla, I have prayed for Ephesians 3:14-21 for you:
And never forget that God has promised to never leave you nor forsake you. His grace is sufficient to help you in overcoming any obstacle!
You’ve inspired me, & got me thinking, praying, pondering…& writing…
just led to return & share it with whoever’s meant to read it…
(I’m 60+ lbs down from my highest weight so far, by God’s grace, overcoming numerous health issues & pressing on daily..)
https://rawstoration.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-does-god-see-my-obesity-my-ongoing.html
Love your site, nice to be back & finally have time to check it out further!I’ve linked to this article on Facebook, & know it will bless many!
Great comments! Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. Keep ’em coming…
Amy – I really appreciate your compliments, giving all glory to God. He teaches me something new every day and I’m grateful for it.
Carole – This is an awesome, powerful word. I had to smile though at your comment “This may be too long for the comments”. Given how long the article was, you should know that long comments are not a problem for me 🙂
Glenda – Something you said in your comment really stuck with me: “Sometimes, I pray for soul prosperity because until we/I deal with the root we will not be able to progress as GOd desires, having all things and lacking nothing in any area of our lives.” Amen, and amen, Sister! We get so distracted by the trivial things in life that we don’t leave ourselves time to deal with those deeper issues that keep us from having the abundant life that is our inheritance.
Anastazia – Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength and I can tell that you are full of the joy of the Lord. It’s awesome, isn’t it? I appreciate you for noting that the TBYT teaching is based on God’s word. I wouldn’t have it any other way because I know that dietary fads come and go but God’s word will stand forever. You also point out how important it is to present you body daily as a living sacrifice. VERY important scripture and a principle I myself continue to be tutored on 🙂
I read your post at Rawstoration (cool name by the way) and will be heading over there to comment but you said something I never thought of before about our glorified bodies. Excellent post and I urge anyone reading this to head over to Anastazia’s blog to see what she has to say on this subject. Thanks so much for sharing my link with your Facebook friends as well. I really appreciate it!
Nancy – So happy to help. It’s amazing how God always sends the right words at the right time 🙂
Kathy-Anne – I was blown away by your post and nodding my head as I read it. So much wisdom in it. Excellent point about the tongue! It is so funny because I was meditating on another scripture related to that I have never noticed before in Psalm 141:3-4
Even King David prayed about what he ate!
Like you said, managing your environment is extremely important. So much of the eating we do is mindless – simply eating just because the food is there. I contend that weight management is really a life management issue. You have to decide what is important to you and then plan your day so that you make time for those things that are a priority. And you are so right…it makes things a lot easier when you are around people who share the same passion for health…and harder when you aren’t. One of my goals is to build up TBYT into a community of people who are focused on health from a Christian perspective and can support each other on our journey. Thank you for sharing!
Christine – Welcome to the club – as you’ve discovered I was an emotional eater too! Yep, the word of God is the most powerful weapon you can use because with emotional eating comes a mental stronghold that you will need to tear down, choice by choice. And once you do, you can’t leave the space empty. You need to fill the space with God’s word. His word brings life.
Yes, I agree that obesity is a matter of life and death. Unfortunately so many people try to get rid of the excess weight in unhealthy ways, never dealing with the issues that caused the problem in the first place. But God is a healer and will heal both physical and emotional wounds if you let him. God bless you on your new journey 🙂
Hi Kimberly,
Wow! I was so blessed by the your article on Does Care About Your Weight. I have been challenged for quite a while and most recently learned that I am an emotional eater…I had no idea!! I am so excited about your website and the information you have provided to help us on this journey. I NEVER concerned using the Word of God to help me and I’ve been involved in some Christian Weight Loss programs. You have presented a totally different approach and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen.
Bless you for giving of yourself in this way to help people like me. You know, it really is a matter of life and death when it comes to obesity and not taking care of our bodies. I also love that you don’t sound lika “know it all” but you present the information in such a loving and compassionate way that it really draws me in to learn more. Bless you and I will be praying as God opens doors for you in this area!
In the context of the Word that has been used to answer the question, they were approriate. God cares about everything that we care about – nothing is omitted or eliminated. It is in light of how much that “thing’ governs our lives. Whether it’s weight, career or family, God cares about it. The image that we see in the mirror is not the same image that God sees, He sees us with eyes that neither belong to the world, nor our eyes. His ways are not our ways. The world has attempted all kinds of behavioural solutions to weight loss – shame and guilt, will power vs self-control, but as Christians, just as God works in every individual’s life to work and to will as He sees fit, so too with weight loss or weight gain. They are alot of issues that are hidden in weight – child abuse, rejection and disapointment, brokenness, etc.
Sometimes coming into the Kingdom will unearth those issues because He wants us to prosper in health, soul and spirit – He is all-inclusive. Some of us will need deliverance.
The one scripture that I think that you neglected to mention – ‘the tongue who can tame it. ‘ We hear that scripture and immediately we think of what we say, but our tastebuds sit on our tongues. As an e.g, I see parents participating in behaviors with their children that will produce unhealthy fruit – associated eating. As a reward for a good grade, good behavior, as a treat, they take their children to a fast food restaurant. That mind becomes conditioned to associate food and reward. That tongue is hard to tame, becasue it is not disconnected from the mind. 99% of the way we eat is fueled by associated eating. When we want to relax we don’t book an appointment for a spa or curl up with a good book and turn off the phone, we look for apple pie and ice-cream. What the world calls comfort food. I refuse to call it comfort food. It brings me absolutely no comfort.
As a Christian, one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. I learned how to manage my environment – the Holy Spirit helped me to get rid of friends who did not have the same interest, such as going to the gym, not eating fast food. Ultimately it’s like when you are a new believer, there are somethings God will take away from you and some things we must take personal responsibility for. We should not buy into the hype of six minutes, twice a week exercise claims.
My weightloss journey started before I became a Christian, and the same discipline that is necessary to walk in this world in righteousness is the same discipline that I call on to stay the course. Being a Christian is not something that we can try, like a diet, if that does not work, we can try something else. A desire to be healthy sets you apart, the same way that being a Christian does. It’s not every morning that I want to work out, nor every Sunday do I want to go to church. But I do it, ny discipline is fueled by my desire – to be healthy, not to spend alot of money on clothes (because they get too small) and stick to a food budget.
Just like I meet God in church I’ve also met God in the gym. Cardio can be so boring – I use that time to worship and to meditate. I’ve received a lot of revelation and insight while at the gym – I use it as my time with God – I don’t talk while I’m working out. Nine out of ten times the Holy Spirit ministers to me.
A weight loss journey, and that is what it is takes commitment, we live in age where that word has lost it’s meaning. The most difficult promise to keep are the ones that we make to ourselves. We’re not walking alone in this journey, He is with us. We’re called to persevere and endure – in all things. Rule “1, never give up, rule #2 always remenber rule #1.
that was a great insight on the tongue. Not only is it important to control what we say with it but also control our taste buds. I had never thought of that. Thank you so much.
I don’t think this is the way God wants us to be. Feeling better morally than others because of the food they eat? That’s not the example Jesus set for us in the Bible. It’s also important to note that at the end of the day God is in control of all including health because what I see trending now is an idolization of achieving perfect ‘health’ while God’s work (spreading the gospel and serving others)is cast aside. It’s very important to take care of ourselves but let’s also be aware that even then it’s all in God’s hands and pls let’s stop basing people’s morality on the food they eat! Let’s be careful not to replace one idol with another in the name of health.
These words of wisdom come at a time when I needed to hear the message. Thank you.
What a wonderful, edifying article with lots of powerful points for us to pray over & apply!
Most of all, I appreciate how you base your teaching on God’s precious Word, & not on the (foolish & limited) wisdom of men.
He knows our hearts, our every need, & what needs to be accomplished in our lives to prepare us to be ready & able to fully lay down every aspect of our lives for Him & His Kingdom…this is what He’s drawn me to focus on as I learn to crucify my flesh daily in these areas, & re-gain the health I lost through neglecting to present my body to Him DAILY as a living sacrifice!
The joy of the Lord really is our strength! He’s enabling me to heal through showing me the multitude of benefits found in only eating the things He created for food, & in seeking Him daily for direction, & He’s used your wonderful teachings many, many times to direct my path, so I just wanted to thank-you for allowing Him to use you in such a needed way in the body of Christ! May He richly bless you for your service to Him & His people.
Hi Kim,
You know I always love reading your blog and articles because they contain so much truth. I agree with pretty much everything you said. I know God says it
is His desire that we prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers. So for me this speaks to the issue of emotional overeating. Emotions fall in the soul realm. So what I think is that God wants us to prosper in every way and that begins by dealing with what is in our souls hindering us from progressing in our weight loss and other health issues. Sometimes, I pray for soul prosperity because until we/I deal with the root we will not be able to progress as GOd desires , having all things and lacking nothing in any area of our lives.
So here you’ve given me some things to take back in prayer and think about as you always do. I appreciate your constant encouragement and help given through these articles.
In this morning’s devotional from Joy and Strength, the scripture was Mary telling God to do as He wished with His handmaiden. The commentary fit your wise topic:
“WE can see plainly how her ready self-surrender in faith, in trust, to her unknown, her mysterious destiny; how her instant expression of entire self-oblation to the Divine Will, to all that she was called to be and to do, to bear all that might in the future be required of her, is a constant witness of the mind that ought to animate and pervade the whole action of the soul. Life, if true, should be always the offering up of what we are, to do our best for Him who has called us. The responsibilities, the ventures, the conscious obligations which press on the soul, with all their conditions and unknown possibilities, supply the question that is to be solved; but the true response is the result of a habit formed through countless, nameless acts of conscientious obedience, which by use have become the bright and cheerful exercise of the one purpose of giving its best and purest to One most fully loved.
T. T. CARTER
This may be too long for the comments, so feel free to cut. Thank you again Kim, for your wisdom and commitment to truth–be blessed by our King today.
This was an amazing article, summarized what has been going on in my head lately. The verses should be written on our hearts so we can whip them out in times of temptation.
Thank you for this article!
-Amy