Overcoming Complacency

My name is Gladys. I am 27 years old. I am married and a mother to a beautiful 2 year old baby girl. I am a college graduate and I own my own business. I am a children’s Bible study teacher at my church. I am an amazing cook and I love to dance. And I currently weight 216 lbs—my highest weight ever.

I joined WLGW late last year and managed to get down to 198, but then I stopped. I have my bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. In college I hit the ground running—achieving high scores in every class and then I stopped. I graduated, but not with the GPA I wanted. I have so many assignments from God that I started, but then I just stopped. I stopped doing. I stopped working. I stopped trying. I simply stopped.

Do you guys know why I’m telling you this? It’s because I’m tired. And I’m finally tired enough to do something. I have lived as a woman of God for 6 years now (got saved April 10, 2011). I have been under my amazing apostle and pastor for 5 years. I have been taught and guided in health and weight loss by Cathy for about 10 months now. And yet, I am still at the same place I was years ago. So I asked God, what is it in me that hinders me from growth? What is it that keeps me from going all the way in? What keeps me from doing what I’m supposed to do? Is it fear? Am I lazy? I screamed begging Him to tell me.

Finally I heard, complacency. Webster defines complacency as “marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies”. I sat in wonder as to how I was self-satisfied. In all honesty, I usually hate everything about myself. But I was looking in the natural, not the spiritual.

Spiritually the Lord had to break down what the word satisfied means and how it applies. Webster states that satisfied means content.

What God showed me is that I had become content with not doing. I had become content with not finishing. I had become content with not going all the way in. I was comfortable where I was but as the definition states, unaware of my true deficiencies. Unaware of the danger this attitude I embodied caused me.

You see, I was satisfied with the C’s in college because it was passing. I didn’t realize the danger that caused when it came to me applying to grad school or not being awarded financial aid. I was content with waking up late to get my day started. I didn’t see the danger of not being able to get everything done I was supposed to. I have been content with eating out once or twice a week. I didn’t see the dangers of the hidden weight that would show its face. I have been content in not giving my all to the business because I didn’t see the danger of it hurting my reputation. I was content in not going all the way in with God and dying to self because I didn’t see the true danger I was in from the enemy.

So of course, after God revealed this, I asked Him to get rid of my being complacent. Naturally, this is what we do right. God shows us something wrong and we say, “Ok, sorry. Please be rid of it for me.” But today was different. Complacency isn’t something God can get rid of. It’s something I get rid of by replacing it with God and His standards. It’s not a spirit; it’s a characteristic that is developed over time. And the only thing that changes it is learning the right way to be, and that’s God’s way.

Complacency is not of God. It is not a characteristic of our Father. Our God completes everything He starts. In fact, His Word says in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Philippians 1:6 also says “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” So it’s not something I get to ‘pray’ away and then go on with my merry life. No. I have to be taught by the Word of God how to complete things and how to mirror my Father and His actions.

I believe it’s time that we stop being complacent in EVERY area of our lives.

My dear sisters, I love all of you and I love myself, but God had a stern talking to with me today and I do not want you all to make the mistakes I have. If you are in a complacent place in your life; if you are stuck and just satisfied with where you are, I need you to get up and start doing! Today. Right now. Because He’s not going to do it for us. He can’t workout for us. He can’t eat healthy for us. He can’t go to sleep at a good time for us. The Holy Spirit is our aide and will always be with us to help, but we have to do.

You want to lose weight and get healthy and fit? Then you gotta do the meal prepping. You gotta buy the veggies instead of the chips. You gotta get all that junk out of your house. You gotta MAKE time to workout. You want your hair to grow? Then you gotta take care of it. You want that promotion? Then you have to show up to work on time and work harder than the rest. If you notice what I’m saying, then you’ll see the opposite of being complacent is being responsible. Be responsible for you. Be responsible for your health. Be responsible for your job. And most importantly, be responsible for your walk with God.

All said out of love my dear sisters. I pray for guys heard my heart in this post.

Gladys

P.S. if you are tired of circling the same mountain over and over and want a Christ-centered approach to lasting weight loss without feeling guilty, deprived, or overwhelmed, be sure to sign up for our video course program right away at cathymorenzie.com