Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how the Lord God has positively influenced my overeating, this doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse. Debbie

COE Support Note:

If you REALLY want to read how Christ helped me throughout this weight loss and even when I was tempted, you should read some of the 100's of previous posts on https://christianovereaterssupport.blogspot.com/

Lord, I Want This, but Not That…

If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. John 15:10 

God has been showing me a lot about my prayer lately. I thought it was fine, but have found out quite the otherwise. One of the latest things God has shown me is, I not only tell God what I want Him to do, but I tell Him what I don’t want Him to do, as well.

I find myself praying and saying things like, "Dear God, Please take care of this situation that I’m worried about by doing this and this. Please don’t do this and that." If I am totally trusting God to take care of these situations, it needs to be total trust in His omnipotent judgment, not with provisions.

I did this too many years as I attempted to lose my weight. I would ask God to “help me” lose my weight by doing this and this, but not by that. Well, I might lose a few pounds, but it never stayed off for long. I always gained more weight back than I started with, because I was missing the point. I’m turning to God for Him to take care of these problems. When I finally gave up trying to control my overeating, food, stress, and control, and told God He’d have to take care of it if He ever wanted me to be thin, God allowed me to lose 80+ pounds.

If God made this miraculous change in my life and my eating, don’t you think the things I pray for would be resolved much better if I didn’t ask God to do this, but not that and just trusted His judgment on how to best handle it? If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. John 15:10  

You Make Me Want to Be a Better Person, God

For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 1 Peter 3:17

I remember Jack Nicholson’s line to Helen Hunt in As Good As It Gets when he said, “You make me want to be a better person.” That’s how I feel about Christ, especially lately. God has been showing me lots of personal things that I like and don’t like. I know that sounds confusing. I don’t like that I have developed particular character flaws that need to be changed. I do like that God has shown me that I have developed these, so I can be willing to turn these over to God's capable hands to change me.

I have found that Christ is on my heart lately when I’m talking with others, whether it’s to sales people or my family. He is leading me to try to be more in the moment with whomever I am with at the time. He is leading me to have more positive responses and better eye contact with them.

I wish I could tell you that I am following through flawlessly, but that wouldn't be the truth. I have fallen on my face more times than not, but God always picks me up, dusts me off and shows me what I should do in the future.

The more that I am open to this, the more I find the sensitive words come out of my mouth and the less rushed response to others. I find that Jesus is healing my interactions with others in somewhat a similar manner that He healed my compulsive overeating. Prior to God’s allowing me to lose 80+ over 30 years ago, He had lots of lessons for me to note beforehand. In that time, He showed me how important food had become and I was letting it interfere with my relationship with Him and with my family.

Now, Christ is sharing lessons with me about having a more Christian response with others, with being there for them, and not rushing through interactions with others. I want to be the better person that Christ wants me to be. He will continue to heal this, as long as I am willing to turn this over to His very capable hands. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 1 Peter 3:17

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my overeating, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse.

Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life

Bible Study: Relating the Bible to YOUR Life!

Types of Christians

 A Christian Caregiver

Learning to Like My Body the Way it Is…

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:44

This is not the body God gave me when I was born. I have taken that gift and distorted it by things it was never intended for. I have eaten mass amounts of food. I have used almost every diet known to man. I starved myself. I have indulged myself. My poor body has had to bear the brunt of all the abuse I have put it through for years.

Fortunately for me, God showed me there’s a better way! He showed me that I was turning to food when I was stressed, elated, and bored instead of turning to Him. Now, that I’m turning to God when I feel these things, food doesn't have the same hold on me that it used to, but what about my body?

It’s funny how we have this picture perfect idea of what our body will look like when we lose our weight. Now that may be reality for some, but it wasn't for me. Instead of the bulges I once had, I now have layers of droopy skin that used to be stretched out to hold all the excess weight. So, what am I to do?

I guess I could tone some of this up through exercise, but I doubt if my body is ever going to be picture perfect after years of abuse . I have hidden from my body for years by dressing in a room without a mirror. I have also hidden my body from others by wearing baggy clothes. What I haven’t tried is learning to like my body as it is in the same way that God loves me just the way I am.

I am turning my body image and my acceptance of my body over to God’s capable hands. He can heal me and my acceptance of my body as it is, the same way He healed my compulsive overeating. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:44

Turning My Cruise Control Off…

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6:7

It seems that lately God has been showing me that my prayers need to be more authentic. I got to the point that I had typed out my prayers and all the people and situations I was praying for. I rambled through them, but was I really mindful of what I was praying? Well, God has shown me that I have to give up the prayer sheet, because I wasn't having authentic prayer with Christ.                                      
                                                            
 It may sound funny, but I like to have quick prayers when I’m in the bathroom. It’s allows me various times throughout the day to connect with my Lord. Again, God has shown me what I am doing. My praying is like I’m driving with the cruise control on. I’m going through the motions of driving, but while I’m doing this, I’m looking at the scenery and thinking about other things.

Now, I’m prayerful about God’s guidance in praying and turning my cruise control off. I want to be mindful during my prayer time and not just rattling off things without any real thought of what I’m saying. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6:7

Fortunately for Me, God is Forgetful but Am I?

But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statues, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Ezekiel 18:21-22

Fortunately for me, God is forgetful and doesn't bring up all my previous sins. Now, it’s not because of my righteousness, because I am a very sinful human being, but through Jesus sacrificing His life for me.

Every time I overeat, does God rub it in my face reminding me of how many times He’s shown me that I need to turn to Him to comfort my aching soul instead of turning to food? No, He is patient and forgives me over and over again, but do I do that?

I find that I have a tendency to bring up all my shortcomings and beat myself up with them.  The thought of one shortcoming leads to another and another. I’m not sure why I’m doing this when God has already forgiven me for these.

This last year has been spent on trying to focus on truly forgiving others regardless. This year, my focus needs to be on being more forgiving of my shortcomings. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all My statues, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Ezekiel 18:21-22

Worried About Not Being Able to Afford Food for My Family

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.                       John 6:35

There was a time where I was worried that I wouldn't be able to afford food for my family. Things were tight financially, so I planned and budgeted, trying to maximize every cent I could. I would buy powdered milk for my family in case we didn’t have enough milk to get through the month. Fortunately, they make powdered milk much tastier than when I was growing up. My children never complained, but I worried lots about our finances. The ironic thing is that the more I worried, the more I ate.

There was a point where God showed me that my worries about my finances were actually saying, in fact, that I didn’t trust God to take care of my family’s needs. I hadn't realized that before. Is that the message I wanted to give my children? Did I want them to think I’m not trusting God to take care of us? I also realize that my worry sets the foundation for how they handle situations as an adult.

When the worry about finances would creep back in, instead of eating, I tried to turn my eating, my food, my stress, and control over to God’s very capable hands. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst. John 6:35

Handling Things Graciously…

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: Numbers 6:24-25

I was sitting in the dentist office when I overheard a grandmother talking to her grandchild. The child was telling about a situation where the teacher made a mistake. The grandmother looked at the young girl and asked her, “Did you handle it graciously?” The girl ignored her grandmother and continued to share her frustration about the teacher’s mistake. The grandmother again asked, “Did you handle it graciously?”

I was so impressed by the grandmother’s question and was saddened that I haven’t asked similar questions of the children in my life. I realized that asking this is a perfect opportunity to help them move to have the patient and tolerant attitude of a true Christian.

It wasn't long before I started asking myself the same questions. Did I handle situations graciously? When a relative told me that I looked like I had gained a few pounds, was I gracious about it instead of turning up my nose? When the cashier overcharged me, was I gracious about the error or impatient? When the telemarketer calls, am I gracious with this person who is just trying to earn enough money to feed their family or do I act abruptly to their intrusion and persistence?

Unfortunately, I haven’t responded graciously in these situations.  I was impressed when the grandmother was being a positive influence in the life of her grandchild. I didn’t realize that she was being a positive influence in my life, as well. I am now starting to ask myself if I'm handling situations graciously, so I can making changes to be more in keeping with what the Lord would want of me. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: Numbers 6:24-25

Hungry in the Night...

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

I woke up hungry in the night. I thought about it for a while, trying to figure out what I was hungry for. Was I hungry for a special treat? Was I hungry for something I was craving? What caused my hunger in the night?

Fortunately, God showed me a long time ago that when I feel hungry and shouldn’t be, there is usually something else causing my hunger. I was asking the wrong questions, so I had to refocus and think about what was causing my hunger in the night. Was I worried about things out of my control? Unfortunately, that’s probably what caused it.

Being prayerful about this, I realized that when I wake up hungry in the night, I shouldn't eat something to calm my hunger pangs. Instead, I should hunger for the Word of the Lord. It calms me when I’m stressed and concerned about things out of my control. Reading the Bible reminds me that Christ loved me enough to give His life for me and will take care of me and my family, regardless of the situations that arise.

Next time I wake up hungry in the night, I need to pray or read the Bible rather than make a trip into the kitchen. Food doesn’t satisfy my soul, but the Lord does. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my overeating, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse.

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Don’t Let Your Sagging Self-Esteem Pull You Down!

Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

It’s so easy to let your sagging self-esteem pull you down, but that’s not what God wants in our lives. Sure, Satan has had a stronghold on us through our eating, poor body image and sagging self-esteem. Christ gave His life for us, so that we don’t continue to walk after the ways of the flesh which Satan uses to undermine our faith. If we turn our food, body, eating, control, and stress over into God’s very capable hands, He can free us from this.

 You might say, “Oh, sure! God did this for her, but He won’t do this for me. I have no will power, I’m such a sinner, my faith is weak, etc.” Well, I’m nobody special, and yet I am, because I am a child of God…and so are you. If God could take away my overeating, remind me to turn to Him when I’m feeling stressed instead of to food, He can do it for you, as well.

I didn’t do anything particularly special. I just told God that I give up on the diets, trying to be thin, etc. I told Him that if He ever wanted me to be thin, then He’d have to do it because I can’t. Actually, when I prayed this, I wasn't really expecting anything to happen, because I was just giving up. I had prayed to God a million times over the years about my food, but this must have been the first time that I had totally given up and turned it over to God’s capable hands instead of asking God to “help me” lose the weight.

All I know, is if God can do this for me, He can do it for you, as well. Of course, it’s important that we trust God’s ability and timing for all these things. God had certain lessons for me, prior to my giving up and turning it all over to Him. I had to see the control that food was having on my life and the way it affected my interactions with my family and with Him. He showed me how I was turning to food instead of to Him, which made food a false god in my life, although I loved God dearly. These were significant lessons I needed. I think I needed to see how powerless I was over food, eating, my body, my stress, control, etc.

I think God’s having me know this, made it so that I could see the miracle He did in my life when He had me lose 80+ pounds over 30 years ago. Otherwise, I might have thought the weight loss was from my hard efforts at dieting. I think God wanted me to see His hand in this miracle. If He can do this for me, He can for you, as well. Be patient and continue to turn these and other issues over to God’s capable hands every day and before you put anything into your mouth.  Romans 8: 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my overeating, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse.

Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life

Bible Study: Relating the Bible to YOUR Life!

Types of Christians

 A Christian Caregiver


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