Diet No More STEP TWO

by Beth Ann Ziarnik @bethannziarnik

Diet No More STEP TWO: Dying to Self. Yep, we’ve arrived at the final stage of preparation and biggest blockade to freedom from overeating–the attitude of “my.” As long as I think in terms of “my” body, I have only my own weak self and its paltry plans to rely on. Believe me. I’ve experienced enough diet failures to know how far that gets me!

So, Lord, how do I tackle this biggest blockade?

What’s Missing

Invite me into your situation, child. Yes, you’ve cried out to me many times—even with tears—and still failed to reach your goal. You’re wondering why. You’re asking yourself what you’re missing. You’ll find that the answer circles back to your attitude of “my.”

Jesus said, “Whoever clings to this life will lose it, and whoever loses this life will save it” ~ Luke 17:33, The Book NLT.

As long as you cling to overeating—as long as you insist on staying in control of what you eat, where you eat, when you eat and how much—you remain stuck in the clutches of gluttony and all its consequences. But if you choose to release control of your eating to me—yes, you’ll have to say goodbye to eating an excess amount of the tasty foods you now declare you love. Yet you won’t lose them entirely, and you will gain the peace and freedom I have for you.

Unholy Attitude

Dying to your greed for food starts by dealing with your unholy attitude of “my.” Let my Word show you the way. Give your body to me as a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1).

This sacrifice, child, is something totally given to me. In Bible times, the Israelites brought sacrificial offerings to my Temple where the animals literally had to die. The final blood sacrifice required for sin was my Son’s death on the cross. Since then I have invited “all who will” to accept my Son’s gift of salvation and give their lives entirely to me. You have taken that first step of accepting my Son’s gift of salvation. Now I encourage you, child, to take the next step. “Consider [yourself] dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus” ~ Romans 6:11, The Book NLT.

Dead yet living, Lord? A living sacrifice? But how does this work?

A Living Sacrifice?

To put this into effect, child, you must take a leap of faith …

Instantly, I pictured Much Afraid in Hind’s Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard. As fearful as this book’s heroine was, she let the Lord lead her on a difficult journey up a rugged and unfamiliar mountain. Along the way, he strengthened her faith in him, preparing her for the moment when, in order to continue her journey, she had to  trust him entirely and leap from a cliff. She took the leap! And God did not fail her.

Now God is asking me to trust him entirely on my journey to peace and freedom …

Dying to “My”

… and die to your attitude of “my.” Here’s how:

First, sincerely offer up your body to me as a living sacrifice. Once you do, it’s no longer yours. You can then consider yourself dead to gluttony and living for me.

Next, give up any notion of striving for a goal weight. As a living sacrifice, you are dead. Dead to sin but alive to Christ. You no longer need to concern yourself with weight loss. Instead, you leave the matter entirely in my hands. And since you now live free from the burden of “how much you should weigh” and all that goes with it, you’re also free to focus. Focus on the delight of obeying the Holy Spirit. As you practice this, you will discover just how delightful it is.

What Next

Surprised? Or did you suspect what that blockade might be? Despite the promise of delight, does the thought of giving up control to God make you feel shaky? Good news–help is on the way! See you next week with Diet No More STEP TWO’s first round of powerful Scriptures!

P.S. Don’t forget. We’re getting closer to STEPS THREE through SIX with both hands-on guidance to losing weight without dieting and “The Diet No More Quick Tips Sheet.”

HEARING FROM YOU: Oh, and if you have any questions or comments, you can leave them below,  or use the email form on this website, and I’ll get back to you. Have a great week!

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