Glorifying God With Self-Control

I stepped on the scale in January 1998, and I didn’t like what I saw. I knew that something had to change because I was miserable. I still remember that number to this day and the feeling of defeat. I pictured a backpack full of lead that I was carrying, and I was overwhelmed to say the least.

I’d like to say my health journey began because I was practicing self-care, but really it started as revenge. My first serious boyfriend had broken up with me three months before. I felt devastated, heartbroken, rejected, and confused. The break-up was like a rug had been pulled out from under me. I was going to make him regret it by "getting skinny."

I enrolled in Weight Watchers and learned better nutrition habits. I started moving by going to Jazzercise (yes, I know I just aged myself). Week by week that number on the scale fell little by little.

When a friend challenged me to run as far as I could until I couldn't run anymore, I ran for 10 minutes and couldn't believe it. I started adding on 5 minutes a week. Then I did a 5k. My friend challenged me when he said, "I bet you can't run a marathon." That was enough for me. I joined a marathon training group and we trained for 6 months. It was one of my favorite seasons to date. I felt the Holy Spirit carry me when I crossed that finish line in less than 5 hours, just 4 years after I stepped on that scale. I'll never forget that moment.

I realized how loved I was by Jesus and I started to care more about myself: body, mind, and soul. I also began to enjoy fashion, which was a new thing for me. Jesus transformed me from the inside out. It wasn’t just a weight loss. It was a mind, body, and soul transformation.

With that transformation, I’ve begun intermittent fasting. I’m an I.F.’er! I started out with 15 hours of fasting and worked my way up to 19 hours. Now I’m a 19/5; I fast for 19 hours and have a 5 hour window of eating.

Why? When I fast, I’m exercising self-control, which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit active in me. When I go to God in the midst of hunger, I’m giving HIM the opportunity to provide for me before I seek comfort from food. Food once controlled me, and I am not tempted to go back to my old self. There will be other opportunities for me to have self-control: finances, abstinence before marriage, and biting my tongue when what I want to say won’t be grace filled. That’s why I’m making self-control a lifestyle. I want to give God the room to give me what is above and beyond what I dream of.

Reflection

How do you exercise the fruit of the spirit with self-control?
Share what your emotional response is when you give in to instant gratification.
What makes you proud of yourself? What improvements in health have you accomplished in the last month?

Goals

Share 3 tips that have worked for you in pursuing health (Ex: drinking 8 glasses of water per day):

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

(1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

“For I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

(Philippians 1:19-21 ESV)