Developing Patience in Your Weight Loss Journey

“God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the
Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.”
Exodus 13:18

Being patient with your weight loss journey is probably one of the most difficult skills to master!

You start walking a lot; you cut out all junk food from your diet, and you stop eating at night—you got this, you think to yourself!

Then the moment of truth arrives. After one week of being an exemplary dieter and displaying amazing discipline, you step on the scale only to be slapped back into reality as the scale reveals only a 1/2 pound decrease.

A 1/2 pound, you think to yourself?! All that deprivation and sacrifice for a 1/2 pound?! Seriously?!

Discouraged and frustrated you figure that you must be doing something wrong because you remember that on the Biggest Loser they were losing 10, 15, and 20+ pounds in one week! And so you either give up altogether, or you try even harder which ends up only frustrating you more.

Can you relate?

Developing the fruit of patience is key to remaining and succeeding in your weight releasing journey.

Yes, you desperately want to lose weight, but understand that God is concerned with changing you from the inside out, with aligning your thoughts with His thoughts, and cultivating the fruits of the Spirit in you. These things cannot be rushed, so buckle up and pack your patience. As you persevere on your journey, know that God is changing you and it will always be for your good and His glory.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9

The closer you draw to God, the better you will understand why God often chooses what seems like a long, slow process to change us rather than the quick instantaneous miracles that we all pray for.

In Exodus 13:18 (NLT), the Bible tells us that, “God led the Israelites in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.”

What?! A roundabout way? Ain’t nobody got time for that! Why would God do that? After all their suffering under the hand of the Egyptians, why wouldn’t He cut them some slack? Haven’t they struggled long enough? Haven’t YOU struggled long enough?

Although God could have taken the Israelites on the shortest way to Canan, He knew the short route would have required them to travel through enemy territory—a battle He knew they were in no position to win. Because of their broken spirits (Ex. 6:9), God knew how fragile their faith was.

Although God demonstrated His presence, power, and protection several times, He knew they would want to return to Egypt (bondage) instead of entering the promised land (freedom) because that’s what they had been accustomed to for so long.

Lastly, if the Israelites had taken the short route, then the Egyptians would never have been wiped out in the Red Sea! This event provided another opportunity for God to demonstrate His power and provision for His people. Remember, God is fighting our battles for us!

The quick fixes and simple solutions that we seek often lead us right back to brokenness because they were not effective in renewing our hearts and minds.

God is looking for a change from the inside out and it will require you to pack your patience. He wants you to learn to:

• See yourself as He sees you
• Understand who you are in Him
• Operate in faith, not fear
• Trust Him in all you do
• Cultivate patience, obedience, and discipline
• Seek Him first above all else

These changes don’t come about instantaneously. Success and mastery of anything take time and patience. Sometimes God will need to take us on a roundabout route because He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows when we’re ready.

So, reflect on your health and weight loss goals. Are you praying for a miracle? Are you looking for an easier way—a magic bullet?

Learn from the Israelites that roundabouts, though tedious, are all part of God’s plan. Whether it’s a stronger faith or a healthier body, the time, effort, and struggle will be worth it.

Notice anyone who has excelled in an area that you may be challenged in and they will tell you that there was a price to pay. They made lots of sacrifices. I bet they will also tell you that it was well worth it.

My friends, let’s stop praying, wishing, wanting, and hoping for quick fixes. Learn to develop the virtue as you patiently trust God to help you change.

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to rise up over your stumbling blocks and strongholds. Ask Him what He is teaching you on this journey, and continue to put your trust in Him. Don’t be afraid to pray for patience. You were not created to impatiently live life on your own—struggling day after day trying to fix yourself.

• You can find the motivation to get up and get moving
• You can learn to eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full
• You can kick your sugar addiction
• You can stop late-night eating
• You can eat within your boundaries

But know that developing all of these habits will take time and patience as you learn to lean on the Lord.

You’ve got this because God is in control!

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