Thin Again - ch 5 Reflections

“In peeling away (the grave clothes), layer by layer, your beliefs, experiences, and self-concepts, you will learn to establish a mastery over eating that will serve you for the rest of your life. As you wrestle with your relationship with food in the present, day after day, you need to remember that God has something particular in mind for you where food, eating, and weight are concerned. God is at work in your daily dependence on food, calling you to listen to your silent hunger and to let him satisfy your deepest longing. God calls us, through the most basic function of our daily life, to look deeply into ourselves, to look beyond a simple change in our size or outer appearance: He wants to transform us from the inside out for eternity." TA pg 100-101

This portion of chapter 5 really stood out to me. I know that God is calling me to learn about surrendering to Him…in ALL areas of my life. He wants me to depend on Him and find complete fulfillment in Him. I also know He has a purpose in all of this! How exciting to be part of that!



As I contemplate how each moment matters, I am struck by how this “most basic function of our daily life” could be likened to the talents that the servants were entrusted with in Matthew 25:14-30. Though this may not be a typical interpretation of talents, I have been thinking how talents (in the context of this story) could also refer beautifully to challenges or hurdles I face in surrendering everything to Christ. He wants me to be faithful with the talents He has given me, no matter what the size (no matter how big the challenge). The servants were entrusted with different amounts of talents, to do the best they could possibly do with them...all for the master's benefit. When the master returned, he rewarded those who were good stewards of the talents by allowing them to share in the "master's happiness." I desire to be like the servants who made the most of what they were entrusted with. I want to do it all for my Master's benefit and glory and be able to share in His happiness.

“I commit faithfully to myself and to God, acknowledging that I am valuable enough in Christ to fill my life with good things—things that please me on all levels and that are pleasing to the Lord. Releasing the beliefs that do not reflect God’s truth, I also release the excess weight.” TA pg101

On the weekend Heidi was mentioning how it would be good to discover non-food treats. What else do I find fulfilling and enjoyable and able to bring as great pleasure (or even more) than a big bowl of ice cream? What else could draw me away from a bag of salty “addictive” chips midway through and really grasp my attention? What else could make me forget about the fresh cinnamon buns on the counter? Definitely something for me to ponder and discover!

I look forward to the day when I can say that chips, ice cream, social outings, camping etc. don’t set me off spiraling into gluttony. I look forward to the day when this surrender with 0-5 eating just flows naturally from me and is not stressed about or worried about, but just naturally lived. I look forward to the day when I find my most treasured moments spent with Jesus. I find great hope in this verse:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17