I was walking around the neighborhood a couple of days ago thinking about how slow my weight loss has been. I have loss close to 20 pounds in the course of over 3 months. As I have shared in another blog, endurance has been key. Well, in addition to endurance, what I heard from God while walking was a GREATER REVELATION of my weight loss journey…
Many times we are so focused on our weight loss goals that we don’t recognize the virtues that are being tested and worked during the process. During the process of my weight loss journey, I have had to learn and practice 6 specific virtues that are biblically termed FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Galatians 5:22-23):
1. Love. I have learned to love myself at any weight I am at. During this process, I have come to the understanding that women can be beautiful and love themselves at any weight while getting to the place they want to be. Realizing God’s love for me no matter my size was a huge help to me. In actuality, His love helped me reach my goal. This same love I realized and was able to practice is needed in other areas of my life. I need love to deal with the stresses of life, difficult people, and even difficult situations. In fact, only through the eyes of love can I truly make a difference in the world…
2. Joy and Peace. Joy and peace are two virtues down deep on the inside that help us to be content even when our situations don’t look pleasant. Several times during my journey, I have looked at the scale and been disappointed. But soon after, I allowed my heart to be at peace and then be joyful, knowing that the number on the scale did not determine my day, nor my destiny. Your weight should not have that much power over your life as to cause you to be doom and gloom for days because of what it says. This same peace and joy that I allowed to emerge in spite of what the numbers said is the same peace and joy I will need when facing future situations that have the potential to cause me to be angry or depressed.
3. Longsuffering. Longsuffering may also be termed patience. Patience is not something you just pray for and automatically get. Patience is something that has to be practiced. Patience only comes through being in a situation that requires it. The patience it took for me to wait weekly for this weight to SLOWLY diminish is the same patience I needed when completing my dissertation. It will be the same patience that I need when completing even greater tasks or working with certain types of people.
4. Faithfulness. As I have told you in a previous blog, I have been on the Weight Watchers Diet. In order for me to be successful, I have had to be faithful to the plan. I have been diligent in recording my food and activities. In addition, I have been faithful to working out at least 5-6 days of the week for at least an hour at each workout. This same faithfulness will be needed when I have to complete the writing of future books. Likewise, this same faithfulness will be needed when I get into a committed relationship.
5. Self-control. During my process, I have had to control myself from indulging in certain foods at excess. That same self-control was needed when I dealt with rude students who I wanted to go off on. That same self-control was needed when I wanted to buy something I didn’t need. That same self-control will be needed in the future when I get upset about something and want to act out.
The other three fruit of the spirit include kindness, goodness, and gentleness. Though I didn’t get an opportunity (or revelation) to practice these in reference to my weight loss journey, my point in all these virtues is that they have to be practiced in order for them to become routine in our lives. During a weight loss journey, we are able to practice many of the “fruit” needed to succeed in everyday life. The “fruit of the Spirit” are characteristics that cause us to become more like God, and enter into His Divine Will for our lives. Instead of complaining or getting agitated because our weight does not line with what we will, enjoy the process of being conformed to be more in HIS WILL through practicing the “fruit of the Spirit.”
Until next time…
-Jenelle N. Robinson
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