How many of us would like to lose some weight? Most of us could probably benefit by losing 5, 10 or 20 pounds! Many news outlets and television shows report the shocking statistic that over 65% of Americans are obese. Many children are also heavy for their ages. What is really going on with how we relate to food and our bodies, or is the problem really about food? I have always believed—and most psychologists also believe—that weight and overeating have less to do with food, but more with suppressed emotional issues. When we lack love, fulfillment, peace and joy in our lives, we attempt to compensate by replacing it with something else: food, sex, porn, clubs, drinking; a whole host of toxic behaviors are at our disposal these days. Naturally, all of these things will eventually make us sick, bloated and heavy—physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Over the last few years, I have gained between 20-30 pounds. I went from a slim 8 to a full size 14! Recently, I decided to trim down by resuming a weight lifting program I used in the past to get the pounds off. In the process, I began to contemplate how I gained so much weight in the first place. Well, last year was a heavy year for me on many levels, and much of it was emotionally difficult. During this time, I was also tormented by the fact that I had to endure so much alone as a single woman. As a result, I slept a lot—a whole lot—in order to escape all that I was feeling. Although I didn’t eat much food, I began to fall asleep right after I ate, which is the quickest way to pack on the pounds! I also drank MetRX protein shakes which made me bloat up even more! (Warning: that stuff is for men who want to gain weight, not women who want to lose!)

When I finally took a long look in the mirror to see how much bigger I had become, I amazingly didn’t feel so bad. In fact, some people I had not seen in a while actually complimented me on my weight gain, saying that I looked better and sexier than before! I totally could not believe that, although I appreciated it! Deep inside, I knew I would slim back down once my life settled out, or once I was released from all of the emotional and spiritual weight I had been carrying around. Now that I am recovering, it feels like I gave birth to a big old baby I carried for three years, and I am finally getting my body back. I’m sure all of you mothers can appreciate that!

When you are pressed spiritually and emotionally, I truly believe the heaviness of this pruning process will manifest in your physical body. Once you understand that the emptiness in your life is actually a hole that only Christ can fill, I also believe this weight can be lost quickly, once you surrender all that is stressing you to God, and you allow Him to clean and heal your soul.

This theory is also corroborated by others who once were overweight and addicted to food. In fact, years ago, Nancy Wilson’s daughter told Oprah that she lost over 300 hundred pounds in one year by calling upon God to help her with her emotional issues, only she referred to God as a “higher power.”

Anyway, know that ‘weight’ can take many forms in our lives, but among all of His other roles, the Holy Spirit can act as your personal trainer by helping you identify and eliminate all that is actually weighing you down. As you pray to God about releasing the weights that hinder your life, embrace the comforting words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 (NCV): “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” Freedom, health and happiness are only a prayer, meditation, decision and behavior modification away!

BE A BLESSING!

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Ashan R. Hampton is the author of several Christian inspirational books: “Prayers & Confessions for Modern Christian Women” (2020), “Still Single Over 40: Reclaim Your Love Life” (2019), “Prayers & Confessions for Teens and Young Adults” (2018), “MCW Living Single Bible Readings” (2017), “Prayers & Confessions for Everyday Victory” (2017), “Before You Start Dating Again” (2016), “Some Bitter, Some Sweet: Becoming a Single Woman God Can Use” (2016), “Soul Thoughts: Poems & Essays” (2015), “Girl Please…Know When to Let That Man Go” (2015). 

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