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/

There Was a Point That I Didn't Want to Be Redeemed

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I hate to say this, but there was a point that I didn't want to be redeemed from all iniquity. Sure, I wanted to go to heaven to be with Jesus Christ, but I didn't want to give anything up to get there. As the old saying goes, I wanted my cake and to eat it too! I wanted to live in my old sinful ways, turning to food as a false god, although I didn't really realize that was what I was doing. Then, Jesus showed me that when I was stressed or worried, I would turn to food for comfort instead of turning to Him for comfort. 

It was a harsh pill to swallow when I finally admitted that's exactly what I was doing. Unfortunately, I didn't do it as soon as I was aware of it. I had to test it out, but Jesus was right. That's exactly what I was doing. Once I started turning to Jesus in times of stress or worry, I no longer felt the need to overeat, although I would backslide sometimes, testing it out. I guess there's a part of me that didn't want to give up the overeating, the desserts, etc. unless it was truly happening, but it was!

Jesus could have easily turned His back on me for being so arrogant in spite of all He had done for me. He had given His life as a ransom for mine and for yours, as well. Here, I  was trying to see if I could still be actively involved in my worldly lusts and yet be the Christian He wanted me to, be free of false gods. I found that the more I focused on Christ's will for me, the desserts and other foods no longer called my name. Fortunately, He redeemed me from this, even though I fought hard against it and He never gave up on me in the process. I am so very blessed!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Going Down a Slippery Slope

1 Thessalonians 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

This Bible verse reminds me that I was going down a slippery slope until Jesus saved me from myself. I felt humiliation for my size and my overeating. The more I felt that way, the more I ate, almost to punish myself for my actions or my lack of will power. My actions were counterproductive and only made me feel worse about myself. 

It wasn't until I was in the depths of despair that I told God that I gave up trying to loose weight and if He wanted me to be thin, He'd have to do it, because I couldn't. I really didn't expect Him to do anything, but fortunately He was listening and is a God of Action! It was that very same day, that my urges for large quantities of food were taken away from me. I wasn't even tempted by a banana split, one of my favorite decadent foods. It wasn't me that was doing it. I hadn't done anything different. The only thing I did was to give up.

Well, trying to figure this out over the years, I found out that was the crucial thing! All those years I had tried to be in control of everything: my life, my food, etc. and I would ask God to help Me take care of those things. This was the first time, I gave up. It's the first time, I put these things in Christ's capable hands. Once this happened, it changed my whole life. In the process of letting Christ be in control of my life,  He allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and to keep the vast majority of it off for over 30 years. 

Do, I still get caught up going down a slippery slope?  Well, sometimes I fall back in to old patterns and turn to food. Fortunately for me, Christ shows me what I'm doing and as soon as I turn it over to His capable hands, He refocuses me. That's why this verse is so significant: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 
 1 Thessalonians 3:8

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Will Christ Forgive Me For Turning to Food Instead of Him for All Those Years?

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

There was a time where I wondered if Christ would forgive me for turning to food instead of Him all those years? This was after He had shown me that food and trying to be thin had become a false god in my life. I was turning to food for comfort in times of stress, etc. instead of turning to Him for comfort. 

It was so upsetting to realize that I had been doing this all those years. I should clarify. I wasn't oblivious that I ate enormous amounts of food, but I never really felt satisfied. I didn't realize it was because I was using it to comfort me instead of turning to Christ with my stress. Actually, for a long time, I didn't even realize that I was stressed/worried when I ate all that food. I guess I just wanted the food to make me feel all better and I avoided dealing with what was bothering me.

It wasn't until Christ showed me this, that I started turning to Him when I had that gnawing, hungry feeling deep in the pit of my stomach. Almost every time I did this, it turned out that I was stressed or worried about something, although I hadn't realized it. I, also, found out that after I prayerfully turned those issues over to Christ's very capable hands, I no longer had the gnawing, hungry feeling deep in the pit of my stomach. In fact, I felt calm, knowing the issue I was concerned about was in Christ's hands. So, that brings us to the question. Will Christ forgive me for turning to food instead of to Him all those years?  In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.Colossians 1:14 tells me that He forgives me for this and so many other sins, as long as I believe in Him as my Savior. He'll do the same for you, if you'll let Him!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

What Do I Give Up for Christ?

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.

This Bible passage really makes me think. Christ had everything in heaven He could want, but gave it all up for us. He became poor and suffered being mocked, betrayed and was crucified and arose from the dead, so we could share in a rich eternal life in Heaven with Him some day. 

If Christ gave all of that up for me, what do I give up for Christ? Do I give a generous amount of my clothes and belongings to the poor on His behalf or do I just give the things that I don't really want anymore? Do I give up my cell phone or do I want to do one more text, first? Do I give up that dinner out that I think I so rightfully deserve when the money could be given to the less fortunate?  Do I give up watching those shows that use His name in vain and have less than strong moral values, because they're funny and my friends like to watch them, too? Do I give up time on my computer, so that I can read the Bible each day?

As you can see, I haven't given up much that truly matters, but He gave up everything, including His dignity for us. He was willing to let the guards taunt Him and spit on Him, all because He was willing to give up everything for our sake.  It's a lot to be prayerful about. I need to be more willing to make Christ a priority, because He made you and me a priority!!!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Loving Ourselves, As Well

1 John 4: 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

 This is a beautiful passage and shows what God did for us to give Jesus up to suffer, die and rise again for our freedom from the eternal consequences of sin. Rightfully so, with having such a forgiving love from God, we should love one another, but I want to address that we should love ourselves, as well.

 All those many years, I felt unlovable, because I was overweight. When I was younger, the other kids didn't want to pick me for their teams, so it reinforced my feeling unlovable. When I compared myself to others, I always came up lacking. (Of course, I wasn't lacking in Christ's eyes. He gave His life for me, but I hadn't made those connections, at that time.)

 Sometimes when I would overeat, I remember feeling like I was punishing myself for not being a better person or maybe I should have said a thinner person. It seems like the thin people were the ones who had all the friends. They are the ones who got chosen for sports. They are the ones who... I was so busy identifying all my flaws in comparison to superficial standards like weight and friends, that I couldn't love myself.

 That led to me pushing others away, because I felt unlovable. It means I pushed God away, because I felt unlovable. It means I pushed myself away, because I felt unlovable. Now, my starting to feel lovable came before God allowed me to loose the 80+ pounds. He had to show me that I was lovable and how much He cared for me, before I could be open to the lessons He had for me. A big key is this passage. God loves us no matter what we weigh, what we look like, how many friends we have or don't have, how many vices we have and what terrible things we may have done in the past. Christ suffered our punishment, because He loves us, so we can join Him in heaven someday, regardless of our size, etc. He loves us just the way we are. Fortunately, He also will help us give up our vices if we ask Him to and turn the control over to His capable hands, because He loves us!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Walking in the Dark

1 John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not wither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

For so many years I thought I had a strong faith in God, but I was walking in the dark. I hated, maybe hated is too strong, I disliked people who were thin and seemed to have lots of friends. Somehow, I convinced myself that they were not nice people inside and I didn't want to have much to do with them. (My loss!) Just think of all the positive friendships I probably missed out on!

Again, I was walking in the dark. It wasn't until I found out that I was making food a false god in my life and was turning to it for comfort in times of stress, etc. instead of to Christ to comfort me, that my life changed dramatically. It's one of the many lessons that God had for me in that period of time. When I told God that I gave up and couldn't loose the weight and if He ever wanted me to be think, He'd have to do it, because I couldn't, He showed me how powerful He really is. Now, I always knew God was powerful, but it was in some type of distant Biblical way. I hadn't realized how personally involved He is in each and everyone of our lives.

It was at the point that I gave up that Christ kicked in and had me immediately lose all interest in great amounts of food and desserts and other dishes I had craved. It's nothing that I had done different that day except for giving up. If the truth be told, I wasn't really expecting that God would do anything, because I had asked Him for years to help Me lose the weight, Help Me... I hadn't really asked Him to take care of everything, by giving up my control and turning it over to His very capable hands. Once I did that, Christ allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and to keep off the vast majority of that weight for over 30 years. If He can do it for me, He can most certainly do it for you, if you give up the control and turn it over to Him! 

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Am I Still Tempted?

Ephesians 6: 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

In that Christ has allowed a weight loss of over 80 pounds and the for the vast majority of that weight to stay off for over 30 years, am I still tempted? Of course! That's how Satan tries to subtly trip Christians up.

 Sure, there are times where I still feel like I want to eat the doorknobs off. That's my term for feeling am all-consuming hunger. Fortunately for me, Christ has shown me that when I turn to food for comfort to these times, I'm turning to a false god, instead of turning to Him. When I've turned to Him in these times, He shows me that I generally have something that I haven't realized that's stressing me. Once I turning it over into Christ's very capable hands, He helps me deal with the stress. 

 Even if I back-track and get sucked into the old pattern of eating when I have that feeling, Christ has shown me that as soon as I realize I'm slipping down a slippery slope, I can immediately turn it over and Christ calms me and turns that pattern around almost as fast as I turn to Him. Reading the Bible daily, helps me to be more grounded in all Christ has done and continues to do for me on a daily basis. 
Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Letting Weakness Turn to Strength

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

There are times where I feel so weak and vulnerable to getting sucked in to all the vices that Satan loves to dangle in front of me. He loves to dangle delicious looking foods in front of me, especially when I'm stressed or my self-esteem is low. The thing is, if I give into that temptation, I'm falling right into Satan's hands and I'm making food a false god to comfort me instead of turning my concerns over into Christ's capable hands. 

Sure, this isn't the only vice that I fall prey to. It's all too easy for me to get impatient with others. Oh, no. That's not all of them. I get involved with technology or TV when I should be focusing on something I should be doing or to someone who is trying to talk to me. I'm not as appreciative of all Christ has given me. I am too willing to get caught up in gossip or other unproductive conversation. I'm also too quick to beat myself up over situations and feeling depressed rather than turning them over to God. 

I don't have to let Satan suck me in and have this power over me. When I turn any of these issues or the millions of other shortcomings I might have over to Jesus, He comforts me and shows me that He is exactly what I needed to refocus. After finding this out, I would get upset with myself when I forgot to turn these things over to Christ. This Bible Passage shows me that Christ has used my many shortcomings, vices and insecurities to have a better realization of how He works in my life. So, when I fall or feel like I'm starting to fall, I now know that Christ can take my weaknesses and make me strong through Him, if I only let Him.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie
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