Devotional for Dieters

[Judy Harder]

September 20


Revelation 21:7
'He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.'


Chris thought he was going to die. Why did the gym teacher make the fat kids run track? It wasn't human. His pulse was pounding so hard he thought his eyes might pop out. The finish line looked a million miles away. It wasn't worth it. Somehow he had to lose some of his excess baggage. Nobody could go through life feeling as bad as he presently felt. We need to overcome our weight problems. Life is not meant to be a struggle, but a blessed gift from God. If we will work to be overcomers, then God will bless our efforts and carry us over the finish line.

Today's thought: With each pound I drop, I move faster toward my goal!

[Judy Harder]

September 21


Psalm 91:3
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.


Bert woke up in a cold sweat. He had dreamed that he was lying on a beach, when suddenly the sand began to shift, and he felt himself being sucked downward. Try as he might, he couldn't twist or turn out of the trap. Every way he moved, the sand gave way. He realized that the only reason he was sinking was due to his weight. The more he fought, the deeper he sank. As the sand closed in over his head, he woke up. Quietly, he prayed that the Lord might rescue him from his prison of flesh. Immediately, he was filled with a spirit of sacrifice and commitment equal to the diet that lay before him.

Today's thought: Without a doubt, I'll win this bout!

[Judy Harder]

September 22


Mark 11:24
'Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'


Abby knew that God hadn't lost her weight for her, but He sure helped her be able to lose it. When she felt most like giving up, He encouraged her and gave her the will to go on. When she was most tempted to break her diet, He reminded her of how important it was to stick with it. When the pounds began to fall, He filled her with a deep joy that insured she would continue. She never forgot to pray, whether it was for help, for strength, or for thanksgiving. Abby hadn't lost the weight all by herself. God helped more than she could ever know.

Today's thought: I'm glad that I'm a loser. . .of weight!

[Judy Harder]

September 23


Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.


Barb hated it when her husband went away on business trips. He was her conscience when it came to watching what she ate. Besides, when she was lonely she had the tendency to eat to compensate. It was so much harder to diet when he went away. It is good to know that we have a refuge and strength that never goes on vacation. God is ever with us, and He will help us whenever we need Him. When the temptations are the greatest, then we can be confident that God will be the strongest.

Today's thought: I will turn to God when my diet gets too tough!

[Judy Harder]

September 24


James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.


Sybil couldn't understand why Bev kept praying about her diet. It seemed so silly. Sybil was a good Christian, but she didn't bother talking about such trivial things with God. God had much better things to do than watch people lose weight, didn't He? Still, Bev seemed to be doing much better on her diet than Sybil was. Bev didn't struggle with temptation as much, and she was much better at saying no when she was offered rich, fattening foods. Maybe Bev had something. Her prayers were obviously a help to her, and Sybil had nothing to lose but her weight. Sybil decided to ask Bev for some guidance.

Today's thought: Too much doubt rules weight loss out!

[Judy Harder]

September 25


Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.


Every few weeks or so, Ellen would go off by herself to her grandmother's farm for a day alone. She would fast for the entire day, and each time hunger would overtake her, she would pause to pray to God. She thanked Him for providing her with food and sustenance through the week. She thanked Him for her life in a country where she was free to do what she wanted to. She thanked Him that she didn't have to struggle day to day for survival. The times on the farm meant so much to her. Ellen found great strength in those times when hunger made her feel so weak. It was good to take time to be thankful.

Today's thought: I'll try not to think of what I don't have, but what I do have!

[Judy Harder]

September 26


Isaiah 43:5
'Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.'


It didn't look like it was going to work out. Becky wanted to lose a few pounds before the dance. It wasn't any big deal, but that made it worse. She'd had almost six weeks, and in that time she hadn't lost any weight at all. She kept telling herself she had plenty of time, but time had slipped away. Now it was too late, and she felt terrible. Why had she been so stupid? Why hadn't she taken it more seriously? Not only did she feel bad because she was overweight, but she also felt guilty and hopeless. Somehow she had to learn to knuckle down and stick to what she needed to do. With God's help, maybe she could.

Today's thought: Today I lose weight; tomorrow's too late!

[Judy Harder]

September 27


Psalm 9:10
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.


It was nice to see that the church cared so much about the ladies' group that dieted together. At the annual church planning board dinner, it was suggested that a low calorie menu be offered. Dieting was so much easier when other people understood and cooperated with you. It was gratifying to be supported by the church as if by one's own family. God had been good to the ladies of the church. God's love should be apparent in our churches. The church should be a place where we know we will be affirmed and supported. God never forsakes His children, and His children should be careful not to forsake each other.

Today's thought: No matter what, I'm not on this diet alone!

[Judy Harder]

September 28


Isaiah 41:13
For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.


When Jenny was young, her mother used to hold her hand whenever Jenny was afraid or worried. Just the feel of her mother's hand in hers gave her strength and courage. There were days when Jenny wished her mom was close enough to hold her hands again, but she lived hundreds of miles away. She especially wanted her mother's support now that she was dieting. Whenever things got particularly tough, she would close her eyes to say a short prayer. As she prayed, she imagined her hand in Jesus' hand, and she felt a wonderful peace and comfort. That image gave Jenny all the strength she needed.

Today's thought: I'm never too heavy for God to pick up!

[Judy Harder]

September 29


John 16:33
'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.'


Leo wanted to remember how tough it was. He'd lost the weight, but he never wanted to get back into the poor shape he'd recently been in. It would be way too easy to fall back into bad habits, thinking that the battle was won once for all time. It was nice to have succeeded. But Leo planned to make sure his success lasted a good, long time. It is nice to overcome obesity, but it is an ongoing battle. We should ally ourselves with the one true conqueror: Jesus Christ. With Christ's help, we can continue to triumph over our weight problems. He grants not only peace, but power to overcome any obstacle.

Today's thought: If we empty our plate, we won't lose our weight!