Women are more capable than we realize.
I say this because many women tend to downplay their God-given strengths.
To maximize our strengths for God’s glory however, we must first recognize them.
Neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Amen studied the differences in activity in men and women’s brains.
While he found unique strengths in both sexes, women have stronger activity in the brain’s pre-frontal cortex area.
This part of the brain is responsible for:
- Empathy
- Intuition
- Collaboration
- Self-control
It is wise to maximize these innate strengths to help you succeed in your weight loss goal too.
Recall that wisdom is personified as a woman in the Bible also:
Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her (Proverbs 3:13-18).”
Let’s look at each of these strengths individually:
- Empathy is the ability to extend compassion to other people. You can “walk in the other person’s shoes,” seeing situations from their perspective so that you can assist them as needed.
The source of our strength, Jesus, is also empathetic. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Jesus literally walked in mankind’s shoes! So you can share your heart with Him in prayer, knowing that you have a God who is empathetic. His heart is to see you healthy, healed, and whole.
If you lack wisdom or strength in overcoming an obstacle to your weight loss goal, God is able to provide what you need.
- Intuition enables you to perceive or have insight into situations beyond your natural senses. Personally, I believe that intuition is another name for discernment. You are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s voice, able to recognize truth from error.
With this gift, it is important to evaluate what you are hearing to ensure it is in agreement with God’s word. That is how you can recognize the Lord’s voice from all others.
To maximize your intuition, build quiet time in your day so that you can commune with the Lord.
I believe one of the reasons the enemy loves to keep women so busy is because he wants us to be “always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:1-7).
But He is a liar. Once we discern the truth and apply it, it becomes wisdom to us. That is when the Lord’s blessings flow in our lives!
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).
- Collaboration means that you don’t hesitate to seek help and are willing to partner with others to achieve a common goal. You increase your likelihood of success when you join with others who can pray with you and support you on the way.
Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 11:14).”
- Self-control is the ability to moderate your emotions, desires, or actions in the present to obtain a greater reward in the future.
As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the seed of self control. You just need to grow it.
Eating nutritiously is essential to maintaining your self control because if you are eating a lot of sugar, then you are subject to blood sugar rises and crashes. This makes you moody and impulsive, prone to decisions that aren’t good for you in the long term.
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any (1 Corinthians 6:12).”
Please don’t get me wrong; I am not writing about these strengths to encourage women to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think nor encourage an attitude of superiority over men.
Are women more capable in certain areas? Yes, but the same study showed that men are more capable in other areas. We need each other and our differences are to be celebrated!
So let us maximize the unique gifts that the Lord has given to all of us so that He gets all the glory:
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Be blessed with health, healing, and wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Author/Christian Life Coach 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.”
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 like-minded Christians losing weight and keep it off.
Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple program