You know what you want — to be at a healthy, attractive weight.  But how can you possibly get there?  It seems too hard, if not down-right impossible.  I’ve been reading in the book of Joshua for my devotions lately, and I can see some real parallels there between the experiences of the Israelites and those of us who are heading Beyond Gorgeous.  Here are some thoughts from Joshua 3:14-17.

The priests stood on the banks of the rushing Jordan River, the Ark of the Covenant heavy on their shoulders.  On the other side they could see the beautiful, fruitful promised land.  On this side — the wilderness. But how to get from here to there?  God said to go across and start taking possession of the land, but this time He didn’t part the water. No bridges and no boats in sight.  The troops were waiting behind them, ready to follow them across as God commanded.

How often we folks who struggle with weight have stood on those banks!  We can see the other side — a place where we will feel well and confident.  But we’re still in the wilderness of clothes that hurt and weariness that keeps us from really living.  How do we get from here to there?

The priests simply obeyed God. He said to walk across, and they stepped out.  When the water was up to their ankles, the river suddenly dried up.  They couldn’t see that several miles upstream, God had diverted the water flow.

Sometimes it’s like that with us.  Have you ever kept going back to your scale like a human yoyo?

“I didn’t eat breakfast.  Have I lost any weight yet?  How about now?  It’s been a day.  How much have I lost?  I gained a pound!  This doesn’t work.  I might as well eat cookies.”

It’s our nature to  keep looking for results right away, but there are times we have to get our feet wet and wade in up to our ankles first.  If we are changing our eating patterns and our lifestyle so we can be gorgeous, we will be impatient and easily discouraged.  If we are doing it so we can feel better and live fuller, more active lives, then we can trust that the weight loss will come after we’ve ventured out far enough.  We can’t see everything going on inside our bodies.  Well, actually, we can’t see anything going on inside!  There are all kinds of things like fluid retention, metabolism slow-down, etc. that can hold the numbers on the scale in the upper reaches.  Then we see a sudden, encouraging drop when we stick with it long enough.

We can trust that if we keep on doing healthy, reasonable things, the weight will leave and we will be happier and healthier.  To reach the promised land beyond gorgeous, you have to get your feet wet.  Let’s resolve to keep wading, regardless of the numbers on the scale.

Eating to Live and Living for Christ

Susan Jordan Brown