You know what makes me angry? After all the injustices that I’ve seen, after all the starving children, all the broken people, after all the poverty and bondage that my eyes have beheld, there is still one thing that gets me fired up inside. And watch out because my fiery heart is standing next to a big tank of gasoline! One thing that makes me so angry is when the enemy speaks lies about our beauty. I know body image may seem so unimportant compared to more pressing global issues, but it is something that is close to my heart, nonetheless.
Let’s see, it has been nearly two weeks since the new year, and thus, the same amount of time as a great number of people have been on the resolution wagon. Some may have already fallen off, while others may be hanging off the back for dear life, or maybe you’re still firmly seated in that wagon. Either way, we all know what I’m talking about. We make a pact with ourselves: “This is the year…” Whatever your “…” is, I want to talk a little bit about the goals we make–our motives behind making them, why we fail to accomplish them, or at times don’t fail at all.
It’s pretty simple, right? We make goals because we want to change. Everybody knows that. But why, dear reader, do we want to change so desperately? Don’t worry, I’m not going to write a long spiel about the media and how it’s so evil–even if there is a lot of truth in that. I am, however, going to talk about another evil.
I think a huge part of why we want to change and why we fail (or don’t fail) to succeed in making those changes is that the enemy wants to destroy our bodies.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10
The first part of his ploy in destroying our bodies is convincing us that our bodies need to change. We look around the room, look through a magazine, watch a movie…and we compare. The enemy fills our heads with lies about how we should “have that” or “not have this.” It is an endless cycle of dissatisfaction. And let me tell you, dissatisfaction is a breeding ground for destructive habits.
Don’t get me wrong, the enemy is not responsible for every “prompt” to change. Sometimes we need to change in order to be healthy–weight related or otherwise. And those prompts often come from the Holy Spirit. However, when the “prompt” is fueled solely by self hatred or dissatisfaction instead of a genuine desire to honor God with our bodies and our eating habits, there is a problem.
I’m also not saying that we have to start out with that desire. If someone is recovering from an eating disorder, whether you are a chronic over eater or you have Anorexia, Bulimia, or both, it is very important to safeguard yourself, finding accountability so that you can heal and change while protecting yourself from falling back into destructive habits.
So…you might be wondering why the enemy is seeking to destroy our bodies. Its as simple as this:
“ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
When we destroy our bodies, we are destroying the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
The enemy also seeks to kill our confidence. This is true for the healthy change seeker and the unhealthy one. If there is one thing that I’ve learned over the course of my life is that the enemy follows close behind the resolution wagon. If you’re hanging off, he likes to make sure you fall, and if you’ve already fallen, he likes to make sure to beat you down and kill any confidence that you had in accomplishing the change you were working toward.
Another part of the enemy’s ploy is to steal our attention. He wants us to focus on food, turning food into an obsession, an idol. We either make food a comforting friend or a bitter enemy that makes us fat. But both of these views are incorrect. When we focus so much on food, we lose sight of our creator, the maker and the satisfier of our bodies. There is a reason the word says:
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
If you are on the resolution wagon, or even if you’ve fallen off, I want to encourage you that this fight, even this fight to be healthy or lose weight is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) Stay strong! If you have fallen off, don’t let the enemy kill your confidence! Jump right back on and show him who is boss! If you’re on the wagon still and the enemy is yelling lies as he runs behind you, yell back at him that you are fearfully and wonderfully made–a temple of the Holy Spirit!!! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!
…and let us come to HIM with our appetites, seeking to be filled by Jesus, The Bread of Life.
P.S. I still need $2,500 to be fully funded. Please help support me through your prayers and donations!
