Weighty Matters

Last year, here on my blog,  I chronicled my journey on my way to losing 60+ pounds. Over a 10 month (+/-) time frame I had many people telling me how good I looked, asking me how I was losing the weight and just over all being a cheerleader for me. I appreciated those comments, but when my new “look” had become old news the support dwindled.

It was October or so of last year, while on a business trip, that I decided that I was going to “splurge” for the trip. That set off a chain reaction that had me gaining back a lot of the weight I lost. How much? I have no idea, because I refuse to weigh myself. I’m disgusted that I allowed the weight to come back and I’m disgusted that I lost the will to jump back on the wagon and keep the weight dropping. I succumbed to food again and had dove full force into the old eating habits that I once had.

What was different during the time that I had begun to gain the weight back was that others never mentioned my weight gain, as they had my weight loss. I’m sure it was because they thought I would be embarrassed by the comments or didn’t want to hurt my feelings, so I don’t fault anyone, but I do wonder why I only had a couple of people ever mention my weight gaining.

I do think that it may have made some difference in my perceptions. If I had known that others were noticing, then I may have stepped back and reevaluated what I was doing. During the time I have gained the weight back I was not being held accountable by anyone. I depended on myself to “saddle up” and muster up the will power to stop eating the food that held me captive, but always put it off. “What’s another Swiss Roll going to do?” or “What is one more trip to the Pizza Inn buffet going to add?” Which I determined wouldn’t be a lot. And that is probably true, a single Swiss Roll or a single dinner at Pizza Inn would not have made much of an impact, but it was deeper than that. It was sin.

Reflecting on the roller coaster of weight loss (this time), I have seen how it does parallel sin. I see that I need support, both while I am doing “good” and winning the battle. But, more importantly I need the support when the battle is beating me. I need to be held accountable for the sins in my life. I need people to point out that I treat my wife lousy some times, that I raise my voice to often at the kids, that lust runs rampant, food becomes an idol and laziness just breeds more laziness and excuses. I believe this is part of bearing our brothers sins/ burdens (Galatians 6:1-2, Romans 15:1, Proverbs 27:17, James 5:13-20, Ephesians 4:25)

We are weak creatures. We often times act from the flesh rather than from the spirit. We forget that these bodies are dying and that we are just passing through this world, en route to our true home. We tend to think “now” is time to feed this flesh of our selfish desires, to sin and sin big. We push God to the side and say, “Let me take it from here, I’ve got it under control now”. This is why we need each other. We need to lovingly come beside our brothers and sisters in Christ, our wives and husbands, or children and parents and help carry them, help them see points of sin that they may not even realize is there or may be saying as I did about eating, “I’ll do better tomorrow”. Sad thing is that tomorrow usually does not come and sin is not dealt with and things get worse. The weight piles on and the sin kills.

I just ask that we each look at our motives. Look inward and ask yourself why we do not lovingly tell someone that you have noticed sin in their life. It is actually one of the most loving things you can do for a Christian. I am not saying to become a fruit checker and try to be someone’s Holy Spirit, but allow God to use you and work through you for the sanctification of others and also for yourself. Confess to one another, become accountable to one another, be open for rebuke and be open to give rebuke. I do not hold anyone other than myself at fault for my sins or my weight gain, but I do know that if someone would have lovingly told me that they noticed the pounds coming back, or the snack cakes in my lunch or the PB&J’s that I ate on a regular basis, I probably would have heeded their words and snapped out of my self deception. The same goes for my sin. If someone confronts me and says, “ I have noticed ……., let’s pray together about this and allow me to help carry this load with you” it would make me step back and actually see things I have allowed to blind me.

Just a little food for thought….. Pun intended.