Devotional for Dieters

[Judy Harder]

January 31


Proverbs 11:18
The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.


It seems too easy to cheat on a diet. There are so many good things to eat, and it doesn't seem like it could hurt to cheat just a little. The problem is, when we try to convince ourselves that a little cheating is okay, then we never seem to draw the line, and a little cheating becomes a lot of cheating. When we are deceitful with ourselves, we find ourselves in big trouble. It is much better for us to do what we know is right, avoiding the things we know will give us trouble. When we stick to our diets, then we can expect nothing but reward.

Today's thought: There's no such thing as cheating just a little!

[Judy Harder]

February 1

1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.


'I can't win,' the woman lamented. 'I give in and eat something, and then I feel guilty. When I feel guilty, I eat. The more I eat, the guiltier I feel, and the guiltier I feel, the more I eat!' Sometimes we feel like failures when we break our diets. We can be swept up in a sense of guilt that makes it nearly impossible for us to stick to our diet. The solution to guilt is forgiveness, and forgiveness comes to us through our advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Jesus knows that we sometimes give in, and He loves us just the same. Accept His love, accept His forgiveness, and let go of any guilt you may feel.

Today's thought: I am not condemned just because I sometimes slip! 

[Judy Harder]

February 2


Acts 13:39
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.


I knew a man who tried a new diet about every two months or so. He would buy the newest diet book and throw himself into the program wholeheartedly. For a week or so, he would remain faithful, then, when results didn't occur fast enough to suit him, he'd fall away. He would curse the diet plans, saying they were no good, completely ignoring his own responsibility to stick to the plan. A book, a law, or a set of rules won't have any effectiveness unless we remain faithful to it. The desire to succeed won't come from a book; it needs to come from a deeper source. For us, that source is Jesus Christ.

Today's thought: Christ is better than any diet book!
 

[Judy Harder]

February 3

Jude 24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

There was a girl by the name of Jennifer who was always getting herself into trouble because she couldn't say no. She had absolutely no resistance to any temptation. Then she met Beth. Beth was able to be a voice of reason and common sense for Jennifer. Jennifer knew that if she was tempted, Beth would get her through. Jesus Christ can be to us what Beth was to Jennifer; He can be our voice of reason. Whenever we feel ourselves being tempted, we need to turn toward Him. He is able to keep us from falling. When we find ourselves too weak to handle a situation, we can rest assured that Jesus is indeed strong enough.

Today's thought: Jesus can keep me on the right track!

[Judy Harder]

February 4


Psalm 65:3
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.


I remember trying to fly a kite at the beach once. I would run as hard as I could in the sand, and it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. I couldn't run fast enough to keep the kite aloft. Often dieting feels the same way. The harder we try, the farther we seem from our goal. It really doesn't seem worth all the effort it takes. However, we need to hold on. When I tried to fly my kite, a sudden gust of wind came and took it high into the sky. The Holy Spirit of God comes to us just like a gust of wind, helping us reach our goals and making the result well worth the effort.

Today's thought: Jesus will give us the extra lift we need to lose weight!

[Judy Harder]

February 5


Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.


A man I knew loved fried food: meats, vegetables, fish-anything and everything fried. He promised his wife that he wouldn't eat any more fried food, but every time he went into a restaurant, the old smells came to him and made both his mouth and eyes water. Time after time, he gave in and indulged in fried delights. Guiltily, he would admit his transgression to his wife, who would scold him, forgive him, and force him to promise not to fall to the temptation again. Forgiveness is important for us to feel when we fall, but we shouldn't take advantage of it. We must always try our best to keep our promises and not ask forgiveness lightly.

Today's thought: We need fear no condemnation from God when we fall!

[Judy Harder]

February 6


1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


There are going to be times when we feel like throwing up our hands and saying, 'I just can't do it!' Dieting is not easy. Don't let anyone tell you that it is. We wouldn't need to diet if we could eat what we wanted when we wanted it. But know this: God will make sure we can hang on, if we include Him in our diet attempts. He knows how hard it is and how much we struggle. No matter how tempted we might be, He will help us escape it.

Today's thought: There is a way to beat every temptation!
 

[Judy Harder]

February 7


Luke 22:32
'But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.'


Everyone always wanted Brad on their team. He was tall and very athletic, and every team he ever played for seemed to win. There was also something about Brad that brought out the best in everyone else. It's good to have someone on our side who can swing the odds in our favor. Jesus Christ is just that Someone. He promised His disciples that He would pray for them and they could not fail in their endeavors. He prays for us, too. Jesus is always on our side, and that makes us unbeatable. As we attempt to lose weight, it is vital that we include Jesus in our plans.

Today's thought: With Jesus on my side, temptation doesn't stand a chance!

[Judy Harder]

February 8


James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


The earliest days of a diet are the hardest. There are times when it just seems impossible to resist the wonderful treats that appear everywhere. But resist we must. The reward comes to us when we realize that with each victory over an individual temptation, it be-comes all the easier to resist in the future. The largest part of the battle is to realize that we really can do it. The Scriptures promise us that when we resist temptation (the devil), it will flee from us, and it will trouble us no more. God never makes a promise that He won't keep. The battle's been won.

Today's thought: There is no temptation I cannot resist!
 

[Judy Harder]

February 9


Hebrews 2:18
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.


When we get particularly low during our dieting times, we feel so alone and alienated. People pat us on the back and tell us they know how we feel, but we know they really don't. There are times we feel certain that no one knows how we feel. Rest assured, though, that Jesus knows how hard it is, and He wants to comfort us, especially when the going gets the toughest. If we turn to Him He will give us comfort and strength in the darkest times. He's been there before us, and He is willing to walk our path with us. When we welcome Him in, He will grant us comfort.

Today's thought: No matter how lonely I might feel, Jesus is right beside me!