Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NIV)
Have you ever wondered, “How does everyone else have it all together? And why is it I seem to have so many issues?”
I get it…. for most of my life I struggled with weight, addictions (of one kind or another) and lack of confidence. I would keep trying but in some areas I just kept failing,
- I wanted the magic wand to sweep over my life and make things better.
- I wanted to stop being a Negative Nellie.
- I wanted to be thin and healthy.
- I wanted to be confident never doubting my abilities
- I wanted to succeed at everything I tried
You get the picture, right? My magic wand never appeared but I have achieved some successes:
- I reached goal weight and through the struggle have managed to keep off over 100 pounds.
- Negative Nellie doesn’t visit as much and when she does, I am able to push her out the door and lock it behind her.
- My business is continuing to grow and I am successful
- My confidence some days is shaky but they are fewer and far between
I have realized that I have wasted ALOT of time wishing things would change. All the while, I was beating myself up for not having the discipline to make changes.
When I finally “let go and let God“, things slowly started to change. The hardest thing for me was to stop beating myself up about my shortcomings and determine to follow God’s lead. Easier said then done.
We like to identify our shortcomings, form them into a club, and beat the tar out of ourselves mentally. Over and over and over again. We label ourselves and soon lose our real identity to the beaten and bruised fragility we call “me.”
We compare, we assume, we assess, we measure and most times walk away shaking our head at how woefully short our “me” falls compared to everyone else.
It has taken my 50 plus years but I am learning that “All God’s girls have issues. Every single one of us.” Now I make the choice to identify my shortcomings and instead of using them against myself, I hand them over to Jesus.
My mental scripts are too often full of exaggerated lies that leave me feeling defeated. Jesus doesn’t compare. Jesus doesn’t exaggerate. Jesus doesn’t condemn.
Jesus simply says, “Hey, I love you. I love you just how you are. But, I love you too much to leave you stuck in this. So, let’s work on it together. You can do this.
Amazing things happen when I truly believe that with Jesus’ help I can do this. Say it with me, “I can.” I can is a powerful little twist for a girl feeling deprived and defeated.
If I BELEVE…I have the confidence to find the conversation more appealing than the food table at a party. It helps me stay on the perimeter of the grocery store where the fresher, healthier selections abound.
Having issues is simply a call to action. Today is a great day to start believing you were made to walk in victory and to say to Jesus, “Yes, with Your truth as my guide, I can.”
Enjoy your day of relax, reflect and recharge.
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 