Encouragement

I needed to find sources of encouragement for myself. I found a devotion site online that emails me a daily devotion aimed toward dieters. It's called Devotions for Dieters. It's a new year and a new start. I've committed myself toward getting as healthy as I can in 2012. I've been heavy for most of my life. For me, it's not about getting thin and fitting into a size 2 anymore. It's about getting healthy and strong so I can serve God as he needs. It's about being a good steward of the body God has provided for me. I've posted the devotions for these first few days of January as an encouragement to myself and others. Remember, we are not dieting alone, God is with us every step of the way.

1 Corinthians 6:19
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? As Christians, we believe that God dwells within us. Our bodies become His home, and it makes sense that we should try to make His surroundings as nice as possible. The temple of God in Israel was kept immaculately clean and pure. Only the most clean and holy of men were allowed to enter it. It was revered by all. The temple was the most holy and special place of all. When we are told that our bodies are the temple of God, it is not an option whether or not we will take care of it; it is a duty. When we care for our physical being, we are making God's temple a holy and special place

January 2

1 Peter 1:16
...it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. Too often we think that holiness is merely a matter of the spirit. We feel that if we read our Bible, pray regularly, and attend wor-ship, we are being holy. But holiness requires that we tend to our physical health as well as our spiritual health. Early Christians realized that they were more alert and better able to concentrate on God when they felt good. Tending to the body made them better at their spiritual pursuits. Dieting may make us look better, but it will also make us feel better, and it will enable us to pursue God in deeper and more meaningful ways.

January 3

1 Thessalonians 4:7
For God hath not called us unto uncleaness, but unto holiness.

When we try to figure out what it means to be holy, we think of many things that we do which we shouldn't. Our minds fill with 'thou shalt nots' and we promise ourselves that we will do better. Our minds should not be so filled by the bad things we have done; we should focus on the good things we can do. Certainly, dieting requires sacrifice, but the benefits involved far outweigh the costs. Our focus must be on what we receive rather than what we must do without. Dieting is not turning from what we shouldn't do. Dieting is doing what God calls us to do.

January 4

1 Corinthians 6:20

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Sometimes it is difficult to stick with a diet once it has begun. If we are dieting for ourselves, we often lose heart, but if we feel we're dieting for someone else, it can be the motivation we need to stick with it. Every day we make promises to God, and those promises we do everything in our power to keep. God calls us to be the best we can be, physically as well as spiritually. We should commit our diets to God. If we see dieting as a sacrifice we make to God, then we can find a deeper power to remain committed to our efforts to lose weight. Let everything we do honor and glorify God, for that is what truly pleases Him.