Weight Watchers

Hebrews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. . .

For the past four weeks God has instructed me to change.  That change has come through a simple movement-walking.  I've walked with friends, I've walked with my daughter, and I've walked on my own, but all in all God says for me to keep walking.

As I walk He surrounds me with His peace so much so that when I experience hardship, I am now somewhat perplexed by how I'm not bothered.  Yesterday my car refused to start and I wasn't in a position to have it repaired immediately.  But God stilled my mind and I focused on Him as Jehovah Jireh.  When I did this I was able to rest.  I don't know how, but I do know that God will provide.

He is also showing me His love.  I am surrounded by people who pray for me and with me, who refuse to allow me to fall and stay there.  God has dispatched angels to tend to my needs and to make the way open for my deliverance.  Who wouldn't want to serve a God who loves like this?  He has hidden me in His secret place and He's keeping me there in spite of myself and an enemy intent on my destruction.  He is lovingly and gently taking me through a process that doesn't always feel good, but that is wholly meant for my good.

During this past four weeks of walking in my change process I have lost nearly 20 pounds!  God brought this scripture to my remembrance.  He said any time we as Christians begin to exercise in the discipline of faith, the Word, prayer and praise the weight of the world will be released from us and we will no longer be tethered by sin.  God showed me that as much as I want it, I can't lose the weight any faster than the process will allow and even during the process I will make mistakes, but the goal is to keep moving forward.  Forward means continual improvement.  It means change.  It means I'm obeying God's commandment for me.  And in this time of change there is so much freedom in my praise.  My sister, Minister Cheryl Cheadle, sang of how my praise is not your praise and there is a story behind my praise.  Whew!  I'm shouting.  I hope you are too!

God said to me that the process of dropping the weight is inclusive of all of my tears, my apprehension, my hoping, my doubting, my highs and my lows, my happy times and my struggles.  It includes my new experiences and my past sufferings.  God assured me that with each step, each time I pick my foot up again and place it back down there is a little less of me-the weight-and a little more of Him-the great I am.  Last, I have to tell you that you missed it if you were not at Urban Empowerment today.  Bishop Peat preached about living the double Dutch life.  There ate always multiple things going on in our lives.  We must start out slowly.  Sometimes we'll mess up and we can't jump in.  But we will progress through discipleship and developing trust in God that He will do what He said He would do.  This allows us to drop the weight and double Dutch like a pro!

Today pick up the commandment of God for your life and watch the weight melt away.