by Karen O’Connor:

 

 

I walked into the gym ready to work out. Two young men greeted me from behind a table displaying various diet drinks, energy bars, and publications with health tips.

I picked up a magazine and leafed through it. There was no getting away from the ads touting this or that product that would sculpt my figure, add zest to my day, and tone my muscles. All good stuff!

However, none of that matters if I don’t have God at the center of my life. I discovered this truth a long time ago. Finding God while on a diet in my forties changed everything­­––from the way I managed my food intake to the way I approached my spiritual life.

Instead of obsessing about calories and vitamins, following one unsuccessful diet after another, I turned my attention to God’s Word in the Bible—something I had never thought to do before––thanks to a friend who invited me to a Bible study class. One verse stood out in Matthew’s Gospel.

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving (Matthew 6:31-32 MSG).

That settled it for me. I gave up diets. I began to eat sensibly, trusting God to guide me in the grocery store as well as in a restaurant when eating with friends. I’ve maintained a balanced weight for my height and age for over thirty years and rarely step on a scale. If God can do that for me, he can do it for you too.

Finding God while on a diet can lead you to feast on God’s Word and surrender all worries about weight and appearance to Him.

For some basic tips on eating right for your metabolism type, check out this YouTube video with nutritionist Nancy Dell.

©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com

If you are interested in finding other ways to combine healthy eating with spiritual discipline–integrating Christian faith, physical fitness, and healthy eating with positive mental health–visit this website: First Place 4 Health. You also may enjoy this interview with Carol Lewis, the national director of First Place 4 Health.

Give God A Year and Change Your Life Carole Lewis 1/3