Can you spot the attitude difference between two people who are asked why they want to overcome emotional eating?
- Person #1: ''Because I don't want to be fat.''
- Person #2: ''Because I want to be a fit, healthy person.''
I will share the difference and why it matters in a moment.
Let me give you some background: I often receive emails from people who ask for help with emotional eating and weight loss.
They write detailed messages about the things that happened to them in the past or the difficulties they face in the present.
To help myself determine if I can assist them, I've devised a simple test.
This test is based on some words the Lord said to Abram (later renamed Abraham).
Before the Lord told Abram He was giving him the land of Canaan as an inheritance, the Lord asked Abram to do something first.
Here are the words, found in Genesis 13:14-17:
And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
Did you catch what the Lord told Abram to do first?
Actually, it was a combination of things. And both things were related to Abram's ability to hope.
For people who remain fixated on the past, I cannot assist them. So my test involves determining if that person can see from the place where they are to where they are committed to go.
Here is the difference in the 2 people's attitude mentioned at the beginning:
Person #1's way of seeing things comes from the diet mentality - they change their habits just to escape from being overweight, making themselves feel victimized and deprived.
Eventually, they will sabotage themselves because how we see ourselves determines how we treat ourselves.
Person #1 made a critical mistake: They defined themselves by what they don't want!
But Person #2 sees things differently.
Their vision is about moving forward - becoming a fit, healthy person so they can enjoy their lives more and impact other people's lives positively, which makes them feel empowered.
Which would you rather be?
So back to my original question:
- What do you hope for?
- What do you see - the things behind or ahead?
For those who are believing for an outcome based on God's promises, take a moment to post your vision in the Comments section.
But I have one more request. Write it as if it has already happened.
Write as if your vision is already fulfilled in your present experience.
I want your vision to be so detailed that you can see how your life has changed from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed.
I am looking forward to reading about what you are hoping for!