Today marks a new beginning. A clean slate. A fresh start. A time for change. A renewed hope. Day One. One for Resolutions.
Resolutions that often include eating healthier and exercising more. At least for a few weeks – maybe longer. May have been the same thing last year and at various times throughout the year.
Our health, more so our weight – no, really, what we look like and how we are viewed by others is an obsession.
So we get on the scale. Check our BMI and monitor our heart rate. Count calories, fat grams, fiber and sodium. We look at our FitBits and track our progress. Then with all this collected data we determine if it was a “good” or “bad” day. And we judge ourselves “good” or “bad” accordingly.
Now I’m not saying there is no place for keeping tabs on any of this. Afterall, one of the many hats I wear is that of a personal trainer so seeing people achieve goals and adopt healthy lifestyles is something I enjoy. What if though this year instead of focusing so much on all these numbers we resolved to stop basing our worth on them?
You are so much more than a number. But don’t we all at times base our identity on one?
Has your mood been adversly affected after you stepped on the scale to see a number you didn’t like? Have you gotten depressed if a certain size clothing doesn’t fit?
Or for you it may not be your size, but what about the size of your paycheck? The number of vacations or square footage of your house?
Do you aim to post pictures and make comments on social media that will bring you the most number of “likes” or retweets?
Do you think being a successful mom comes in the number of Pinterest projects you implement?
You see we all do it in various ways and at different times. We base who we are on a number of things other than Christ. Depending on what that is – “good” or “bad” – is then how we see ourselves and perhaps judge others.
What if instead we saw the fallacy in our thinking and countered it with who Christ decalres us to be?
What if instead we spent more time in His Word and in prayer, filling our minds with His truths, than counting all these other things?
Wouldn’t it be freeing to rest in Him and know we are secure instead of basing our standing on how we feel like we are performing?
The next time you feel shame because you ate too many calories and think you have to go run five miles, what if instead you really believed you are forgiven and loved and perfectly made in His image?
What if the next time you begin comparing yourself to others based on whatever number you instead identify the ‘not measuring up thoughts’ as Satan’s whispering lies?
This is gospel-living applied everyday. If we don’t go back to the cross, we won’t know how to self-talk ourselves out of these worthless sinful spirals. We must see again and again who He is for us.
That the Creator of the Universe enfleshed Himself and came down from heaven to live among sinners in order to call sinners His friend. And in becoming His friend, we are called Redeemed and Restored, Loved and Forgiven, Chosen and Cherished, Sons and Daughters of the King!
Use this as a spring-board and go to the Word to find who else He says we are. Even better, go to the Word and discover who He is. And when you are struggling with shame and guilt and worthlessness and failure, dwell on these things.
Wouldn’t this be the most Worth-while Resolution?!
A bowl of Awesome Rocks as a tangible reminder of who He says we are!
Want more on issues of worth, comparison and Eating Disorders? Click on: The Intruder Named ED, The Root of our Teens’ Stress, What Parents Need to See on Instagram.
