Its another Tuesday. Thankfully the scale is moving again – but more importantly than the scale are the NSVs this week (non-scale victories). I can finally comfortably fit back in my favorite Bass pencil skirt and will be wearing it for a photo shoot next week – and my jeans are too big. Those are both happy things in my closet!
Disclaimer on the pictures above: I love all three of these girls and these weddings were precious to me. But, now all these years later, and I can wear the black dress (the one on the left) again. I love that dress!
This week I want to talk about talking to yourself. Every week I pass another church on the way to our church. This “church” is a denomination that clearly doesn’t believe the Gospel – but their signs always peak my interest. When I say the sign that said “Claim Your Inner Prophet” I thought it was so true.
A Prophet is one (in the Bible) who claimed to hear the voice of God for a particular people. If he was a true phophet then those things would come true. There were definitely many false prophets. Well, here is how that applies:
You are a prophet in a way. The Bible, God’s very true word, was given to you (and me) to know God’s truth and claim it. Every promise of God is yes to us in Christ Jesus. The Bible stands true 2000 years ago and will stand true in 100 years and stands true today. So, if you know the truth – then the truth will set you free.
Set you free from what?
From standing in front of the mirror saying how much you hate your body, your stretch marks, your pooch, your bottom, your double chin, the fact that you don’t have a thigh gap, your calves, your rolls of fat, your slouchy chest because you’ve breast fed 5 kids or you are just aging.
From walking through malls and declaring how you’ll never measure up to the models and the mannequins and the size 0 dresses that are hanging in the store fronts.
From bingeing because a relationship just went down the tubes, or your parenting has been less than stellar that day, or you got in an argument with your spouse, or even you favorite tv show didn’t end the way you wanted to.
From being lazy because you really should go for a walk but you just don’t want to because its not the perfect temperature, or you have nothing clean to wear, or what good is a walk going to do me anyway.
From being tied to that scale number. And if it goes up you have a bad day or your binge or you don’t eat. And if it goes down you are on cloud 9 and you could leap tall buildings and run a marathon – or get that date.
From the belief that your marital status is because of what size you wear. That no one will ever love you unless you are a certain size or weigh a certain number.
All of these things are lies. Pure lies.
There is being healthy – living in God’s body the way He designed you to, and not being obese, or putting insane amounts of unhealthy foods in your mouth at one time. There is exercising and eating right because God has not called us to be laze or gluttonous.
“Finally, brother, whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable…if there is anything worthy of praise, think (and do) about these things.”
Philippians 4:8
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price – so glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 6.19-20
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
Psalm 150.6
“Why are you cast down, o my Soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
Psalm 42.5
These are just a few of the verses that your inner prophet can claim – and live and walk and abide and eat and exercise in truth.
Jeans come and go. Abs come and go. Brownies and ice cream come and go. Organic green smoothies come and go. But the Word of the Lord stands forever.
I’ve struggled with all of these. YES. For a really long time. And God is breaking me of bondage to sin on a daily basis. Know that the grace of God is bigger than anything that you face in life.
