“When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17
I failed many times to reach my weight loss goals. I tried for 40 years. I failed for 40 years. Do you ever tire of how long it takes to get to your weight loss goals and how often things just don’t work?
I truly believe that God knew I didn’t have the right mindset to succeed all those times I failed, just as He knew the Israelites weren’t ready to inherit the Promised Land in Exodus 13:17. They did not fully trust God, so He had to take them on a journey so that they wouldn’t go back to Egypt and the perceived “easier path.”
The long path to permanent weight loss isn’t easy. I had to trust God through the process of changing me. He taught me to navigate the battles I would face, like boredom eating and craving sweets. They didn’t go away, but God helped me stay on the right path instead of taking detours that would cost me the benefits of the new life I’ve worked so hard to achieve. So don’t get discouraged when the scale doesn’t move, or the inches don’t come off as fast as you’d like. God may be trying to teach you something. It’s a simple lesson if you listen. He whispers, “Trust Me. Follow Me.”
As the Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
