2 Corinthians 1: 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
It would be easy for me to join the ranks of the thin and insensitive after losing all the weight. (Actually, thin people are not necessarily insensitive, but often many don't understand the plight of the overweight.) I could just ignore others who are dealing with the pain of being overweight and all the insecurities and issues that lead to this. I could try to remove myself from any contact with others who are dealing with these issues, but that's not what God wants from me. He wants me to be an example of how He works in my life, in my body, in my relationship with Him and others.
He wants me to comfort others, to show He has not turned His back on them and their pain. Sometimes, this pain is a means to draw us to the point of turning our lives and that pain over to God, even for us who have been long time Christians.
I don't always know how to do this. I try to stay clear of negative conversations about people who are overweight. I try to say a prayer for overweight people when I see them, asking God to have them feel His healing touch and come to have a life-long positive relationship with Him. Now, I feel He's wanting me to take a more active stand. It's a little uncomfortable and glorious at the same time.
It's difficult sharing such personal details of my life, my insecurities, lack of self-confidence, etc., especially knowing that there may be people reading these blog posts who know me. It is glorious in the thought that God would allow me to see His hand in comforting others. That He would help others through my pain, insecurities, and struggle to turn my food, eating, control, and life over to God, who can comfort us all. My prayer is that I don't allow Satan to work the subtle wedge of pride, because none of this comes from me, it is all a gift from God, "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how God has positively influenced my overeating, this does not necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse.
