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My selfish wants stand in the way of my devotion to God.  These self-seeking wishes divide my heart and make my spiritual walk wishy-washy.  I fear never getting my desires fulfilled.  My unwillingness to surrender these wants keeps me from growing closer to God. James 1:8 is, “Their loyalty is divided. between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  Divided hearts are detestable to God.  He commands us to completely surrender to Him.   When I have one foot chasing my wants and the other trying to follow God, I can’t doRead More →

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Stress is my constant companion.  I wish for of peaceful days, but end up surrounded by trials and troubles. Sometimes I turn a minor inconvenience into a larger complication by my reaction to stress.   My mind replays a unfavorable scene over.  I rehearse possible endings for situations, creating the worst possible scenario.  My reactions to stress create a larger problem that what I started with. Isaiah 43:1 is, “But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you… he who formed you …;  I have summoned you by name, you are mine. (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011).  God has namedRead More →

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Sometimes I chase my wants, forgetting other tasks I should do.   Most of the time my selfish wish is not fulfilled.  I focus on this desire, unable to stop thinking about how much I “need” it.  I start believing that nothing goes my way and I am unlucky.  Feeling defeated, my emotions drive me to food. Philippians 2:3 is, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  When I take the time to pray forRead More →

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I trust in God in all situations and problems.  He never fails and guides me through my darkest trial.  Food can never help me find answers or guidance; it temporarily helps me feel better.  Recently, I gave in to stress and turned to food.  After all this time, I should know better.  I felt bloated and emotionally spent for slipping again. I realized my misplaced trust needed to be shifted back to God. Proverbs 3:5 is, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;”  (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011).  When I trust my own strength,   I becomeRead More →

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I believe wholeheartedly that God created me with faults for a higher purpose.  He intended me to use my experiences to help others struggling with the same imperfections.  I still think about food and occasionally slip.  Sometimes, I get stuck in a rut of overeating and feel tempted to give up.  Deep down, I know God lifts me out of my pit and can still use me. Psalm 139:16 is, “You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004,Read More →

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No matter what happens to me, I can lean on God’s marvelous, wonderful love. When negatives outweigh positives, I get dragged down. Negative thinking traps me into believing the world is out to get me, I have no friends, and I deserve bad things to happen.  But God’s love tells me different. Psalm 42:8 is, “But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to the God who gives me life.” (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  God’s love will never fail me.  No matter what I face, I can lean onRead More →

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Anger is a natural human emotion.  I can have little annoyances build up until I explode with rage.  Other times, an unfair situation enrages me.  In this life, stuff is going to annoy me.  I have a choice in dealing with my angry feelings. Ephesians 4:26 is, “And ‘don’t sin by letting anger control you.’  Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  I can allow anger to control me.  It consumes my entire being, drowning out reason.  My anger controls me when I choose to dwellRead More →

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Negative thoughts grow to create more gloom.  The old saying, “Don’t make mountains out of molehills” is true.  I focus on a problem so much that I turn a minor headache into a huge ordeal.  I must deal with both my original problem and my reactions to it. Psalm 119:143 is “As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  I find joy by following God when stress surrounds me. He shows me when I am making a mountains out of molehills.  God calms me so I can find a logical solution.  He also givesRead More →

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My past failures brought me shame and guilt. Times I spoke unkind words or carelessly retold a story haunt me.  I ate to soothe away self-disgust.  More shame flowed throughout my brain since I couldn’t stop stuffing food down my mouth.  Additional guilt over lack of self-control made me miserable. God is the only one able to lift me out of my pit.  Psalm 34:5 is, “Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.” (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007)  God takes my shame away when I seek Him.  He gives meRead More →

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Forgiveness is more difficult when the wound is fresh.  I like to prevent myself from being hurt again, so I distance myself from pain.  However, I cannot cut everyone who has offended me out of my life.  Learning to coexist with people who might hurt me again is impossible without forgiveness. I forget to be patient with others and focus on their faults.   Colossians 3:13 is, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you had a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave  you.” (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011).  When I cling to hurt feelings and don’t forgive, itRead More →