Day 11

It will Happen!

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see –Hebrews 11:1

It seemed like every time I started some new diet, Thursdays were always a pivotal day for me.  By Thursday morning I was feeling like I had made progress.  I was feeling stronger.  I was feeling lighter.  I felt there must be some big change going on because I simply felt better.  I always so felt excited and relieved “I finally found something that worked!”

I felt so good I wanted to see proof of the huge change I had made.  I wanted to see it in number form.  I wanted that instant gratification of a job well done.  I wanted the scale!  I wanted to get on the scale and see that I had drop 4 or 5 pounds and my body was ready to shed some serious weight.  I wanted to see what weight this stronger, lighter form was.  So, I would get on the scale.

Can you see where this is going?  Maybe some of you already got on the scale this week and are shaking your head thinking “thanks Jen, this is information I could have used yesterday!”.  Well, if you are nodding in agreement, you know what happened when I got on the scale.  Nothing.  That’s right nothing.  Oh maybe I would be down a pound or two, but that didn’t seem like anything after all the sacrifices I had made all week!  I mean I didn’t eat any ice cream when my pig family had the nerve to go to McDonalds after the t-ball game!  No, I just sat there, sipping my water, completely content.  Content because I knew this sacrifice was going to pay off big time!  Well I don’t know about you, but big time is not one or two pounds.

Oh, but after years of this, how I longed for one or two pounds!  There were times when I didn’t lose any weight, or worse yet, there were times when I gained a pound or two!  You do not even want to know what occurred those Thursdays!  Let’s just say when the kids woke up and wanted their cereal I had to lie to them and say they ate it all the day before (as I sat with Crunch Berries stuck in my teeth).  It was not a good start to my day. 

After years of this, I saw a pattern.  Get on scale= bad day.  Stay off scale= good day.  For the first time, I completed a12 week program weighing in only in the beginning, the middle, and the end.  I was so excited when halfway through I realized I had lost 10 pounds!  However, as hard as I worked, if I had only seen a 1-2 pound change each week, I would have most likely been discouraged.  I know it seems silly, but when you’re in the war, it’s hard to see how every little battle pound adds up in the larger victory.  One pound of fat didn’t seem to equal the hard workouts, and meal planning.  However, when the work is behind you, and you suddenly see 10 pounds, well, it’s kind of like child birth: you suddenly forget how hard it was, how you hated everyone and everything, and how you even feel ready to do it again!

Weight loss is like any other prayer request you bring to the Lord: you have to wait in faith.  You have to do what you can, and follow God’s lead.  You have to believe that in the end your diligence will be rewarded.  You have to dig in your heels and say “I will not be moved.  I will see this to the end”. You have to stay in faith as your body changes.  Things are happening “behind the scenes” as your body adjusts to your new lifestyle; you will see them soon.  There are few things I am willing to promise about weight loss but this is one of them: If you lose faith and quit, you will not change.

Dear Heavenly Father, I confess I want to see big changes fast.  I want to know that I am on the right path to lose weight.  I ask you Lord to give me the faith to see this through to the end.  I confess I have already had some discouraging thoughts that this will fail, just like the others.  I ask you to speak to my heart, and give me renewed hope.  I thank you for your faithfulness.  In Jesus’ name, Amen