[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Dealing with excess weight

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Meditation verse:

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and (that your body) may  keep well even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers” (3 John 2, AMP).

God is as concerned with your physical life as He is with your spiritual life. He  wants you to look after your body and nourish it with healthy balanced meals  and regular exercises, just as you take care of your soul by nourishing it with  prayers, fasting and bible study. Paul highlights the hard work involved in fruitful  Christian living. Becoming an effective and faithful witness for God involves  discipline and commitment. We may also be required to give up certain habits  and pleasures that hinder our progress and taint our testimony as Christians.  Similarly, taking care of our bodies requires discipline, commitment to a healthy  lifestyle and abstinence from foods that lead to excess weight and diseases. 

Being overweight or obese can dampen your self-confidence and make you feel  insecure. It is an area with a huge propensity to affect other areas of your life  especially for women. Some women under the guise of Christianity, let  themselves go after bearing children and this begins to affect their marriages.  You have a duty to yourself and your husband to stay in shape and remain  attractive. Likewise, a husband owes it to himself and his wife to stay in shape. 

God cares about your physical wellbeing. If you are battling excess weight, He  knows your struggles and wants to help you, but you must be willing to commit  to the required discipline and self-denial. There are no quick fixes when it comes  to losing your excess weight. It will take time, but if you are ready to take a step  of faith today, you are well on your way to a more fulfilled and wholesome life.  Recognizing the need to get started is half the battle won. 

The beginning of a new year is a good time to start. Come up with a plan for  regular exercises and healthier eating. Commit your plan to God and appropriate  His power. As you go along, change what you can about yourself, but learn to  accept what you cannot change. If you have done all and there is little change in  your weight, embrace and love yourself. Remember that you are fearfully and  wonderfully made in God’s image (Ps 139:14) and He loves you unconditionally.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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