That's small potatoes

Photo Credit:  Lizard

Fear sometimes pushes me to failure or disappointment.  In this 131 lb-weight-loss journey, I have a new challenge.  I have to keep my "what if" doubts and fears at arm's length, and rely on my God infused-strong, self-controlled commitment close by.    

When doubt pushes it's way into my heart, the weak and tender places, it can be crushed by fear from my oh so many questions:

What if I allow myself one bite too many?
What if I keep eating chocolate cake and can't stop?
What if I start loving food more than I love God again?
What if I can't trust myself around food ever?  
What if I can't stay at my goal weight?
What if I fail you in this weight loss expectation thing?
What if my personal failures cause you to fail too?
What if I stop obeying God in the area of making healthy choices?

Man...I didn't know that this losing weight gig could be so complicated!

At this point...I have to turn my Titantic-sized-load of worry into many points of resistance, using the negatives to become God's greatest opportunities.  These looming giant-sized questions have no place in my thinking if I am to continue in right oobedience of a healthy lifestyle.  I must consistently press on towards the goal of making healthy choices each and every day, no matter what.  The hard work of resistance grinds on.

The tension of "what if's" has to continue to push me through to obedience.

So here's a new question:

Does resistance asks all the wrong questions?  And the even bigger shiny question is...  

What’s blocking my courage to look at the temptation in the face and grabbing it by the throat and showing it's who's boss?  

Food holds no power over me anymore.  But the fear of going back to my heaviest does.

Is that what you need today?  A little more courage to look at your giant temptation?  To look at your fears, to kick your fears in the gut and say...

Look...if God is for me, what's to stop me from using resistance to take the next step of courage?

Resistance keeps knocking repeat on the fear button. Ahem.....

So...this is my call out to the enemy known as failure!  Scootch over you looming giants disguised as doubt and weakness that ebb and flow through my thinking, those that call loudly for dominion in my heart!  

Don't let fear's voice roar to a loud chorus within your soul to keep you from obeying what God is calling you to do.  Let your fear be the catalyst to move you to action to obey Him.

My disobedience matters to God.  And my knowing the difference between the pros and cons of consequences matters to me.  Staying healthy matters to God, and therefore it matters to me too.  It's time to put this fear to rest.

So the next time fear knocks hard with questions and asks:

Do I have what it takes?  ...Answer back with ..."no, but God does".

Does behaving myself around food matter?  "Yes".  It matters.  Because food won't behave for you.  Only God can give you the strength to walk away from the dinner table.  

Is God's strength enough to fight off the biggest piece of Wall-O-China chocolate cake?   

....Yes, that's small potatoes to Him.  

If we are living in total dependence on His How's, we won't have to succumb to our questions and food-fears.  

We can put fear to death, we can put fear to rest, we can bury our fears in His chest.  We can, because God can handle them all.  And God can handle your questions too.  He helps us figure the hows, the whats, the whens along the way of resistance.

So back to that word, how can resistance be a positive?  It helps us face the imperfect solutions by embracing God's perfection.  Once we submit our wills to obey His perfect Authority, there really is no resistance now is there?

Now do something today that makes you laugh at fear and makes you laugh hard.  Stepping into your dreams isn't always meant for the weekends.  

How do you handle temptations? 

How do you handle it?

One of my favorite sayings is with much distance comes much resistance. Basically, it means to me that in separating ourselves from tempting things, the distance builds a strong resistance to the source of the temptation.

One thing I am finding in this theory is that distance from your temptation can't be fueled by fear.  In that case, the distance creates more harm than good.  For instance, I love avocados.  After tasting my son-in-laws homemade avocado dip and a mountain of chips, I was in like with the avocado.  Now...I want it, a lot.  I love the taste of it.  I also know that avocado is a good healthy fat and I know that I can allow the avocado as a healthy eating option.  

I have to train myself to control my want for it and only eat it in measured portions. 

Otherwise, I will go falling head-over-heels for it.  

I can't allow myself to go head over heels over food...again.  Not avocado, not chocolate, not any foods that will tempt me back into disobedience. 

No, I won't go back there.  

Not because I know it's not a healthy path for me to take.  That is true; it is not a healthy option for me.  But every time avocado dip steps up to the dance floor and asks me if I would like to participate I have to consider the costs.  I have to.  That's the way I reason food now.  Is it fuel for my body or is it a pleasure and comfort?

In a moment’s notice, my heart feels like I could go back to my former ways.

  

"Comfort is the one thing you cannot get by looking for it.  If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end:  if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth--only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin with and, in the end, despair ”C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

There has to be a point that I say no to sin.  I have to put distance between me and my wanting-avocado-ways.  I will do everything I can to keep a safe distance, building resistance, from those dangerous temptations.  This distance that I create for myself is giving me some food margin.  That's how I have to handle food in my mind, because I don't want to spoil the good work that God has done in my heart regarding the inappropriate love of food above Him.

So knowing the temptations I will guard my mind and heart against what is the doing the tempting or the alluring.  When the door of temptation swings wide open and gives me an offer, the opportunity for obedience is gently present.  Food will always be a violent assault on my senses.  The hinge, the catalyst, for my action towards temptation is called resistance.

It really doesn't have to be this complicated does it?  How do you handle temptations?

Deep stuff Monday…

How to Punch Dessert in the Face

Take a good look at it and when you are faced with dessert...

Give it punch it in the face!

Just say no!

Don't give up on your resolve over a few chocolate chip cookies. 

It's just not worth it.  The choice is yours.  

You have to give up something you love,  

for something you love more, like a smaller pair of jeans.

Just say no!  It works every time.
The greater distance, the more resistance.