Do you know how to walk with grace and lose weight?

Previously we discussed how walking by faith with God’s grace requires that we transfer our confidence in ourselves to God: God’s strength, God’s ability, and God’s wisdom. When we do, we will experience God’s goodness, his inexhaustible grace.

Now, let’s examine how to walk by faith with God’s grace as we diet. It is assumed you understand the basic rules of dieting: limit calories while burning stored fat over time will produce a thinner you. It is also assumed you know and have access to healthy food and you know appropriate portion size. And finally it is assumed the problem is you have difficulty eating that way.

Monday morning you start your diet. You go for a walk, choose egg whites and dry toast. Doing good … it is 11:00 AM and you are still on your diet. Mid afternoon day one or day five, it doesn’t matter; your strength begins to wane. Your resolve is no match for the mental temptation or the physical hunger you are experiencing. You give in, you surrender. You suffer defeat. Depending on how many times this has happened will dictate the degree of self humiliation. You are mad at yourself, you become depressed and discouraged at your defeat.

Here in our forced humble state of failed dieting God can speak his good news …

You are no match for your flesh. You will lose every time; it is just a matter of time.

Paul says, “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Romans 7:21:24

When we choose to walk by faith in God – rather than ourselves – with His grace, dieting becomes his battle, his fight, not our own.  This is exactly Paul’s conclusion to his question:

 “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:25

Intentionally we are to remove our thoughts from the tormented boxing ring in our soul and not think about dieting. We are to take a front row seat and watch Christ show himself strong, or, as I prefer, leave the arena of dieting all together.

Each eating and drinking choice is an intersection as you walk with God’s grace. Stop and pause, just as you would at a street corner. Look both ways – back and forth at all your failed attempts – and conclude, “I can’t do this, but you Lord Jesus can. I will let you lead me safely through this decision.”  That is how you step, then walk by faith in God’s grace.

Next: What is really happening when you blow your diet?