Well, it’s the first day of the New Year, and we made it past two ‘end of the worlds’ during the year- that’s an achievement! Now we have to face the resolutions we made- if we made any. Lots of people resolve to eat better and exercise more often, so if you are one of those, consider this a friendly reminder of what may happen if you don’t keep your resolutions this year J.
Have you ever looked down on your way into the shower and saw that roll that never goes away just riding around your belly? I do that all the time; in fact, I like to sing the Jello song every time I see it. “Watch it wiggle, see it jiggle.” Often I even make it really jiggle just to get a good laugh. Truth is I’m not overweight so most people look at me but don’t believe I have any fat on my body at all, and that’s not true. There is jiggly, wiggly fat on two main parts of my body that just love to remind me of the thirty pounds I gained while in chemo, and the lifestyle I led beforehand.
They say the biggest factor in gaining belly fat is caloric intake, especially- processed food, or food with high sugar and/or fat content. Stress (which releases cortisol causing the body to release extra unneeded sugar, also makes us eat more) and lack of exercise (which lowers the body’s metabolism) are the next factors in gaining belly fat. Oh that wretched stuff, so easy to gain, but not so easy to lose!!! L
Well, I don’t know if I’ll ever get rid of my belly fat while in this body or not, and I guess I’m really excited to get my new body from the Lord down the road, but for now I’ll just keep doing what I can to live a better lifestyle in this present body. Of more concern to me this year is the spiritual lifestyle I lead. Am I eating the right diet of Word, prayer etc. or do I have more intake than I need and not enough output? Do I consume more ‘sweet’ Word than balanced diet of truth?
For the time will come when people will not put up with healthy doctrine but with itching ears* will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their own needs. They will refuse to listen to the truth and will turn to myths. 2Tm. 4:3,4 ISV
I have hidden Your Word in my heart, so that I might not sin against You. Ps. 119:11 MKJV
Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls. Jm. 1:21 ISV
As with our physical bodies, keeping jelly belly fat off is easier than getting rid of it later. We should work on the things that will keep us spiritually fit this New Year: keeping our focus on our Lord (Heb. 12:2), keeping Him first (Mt. 6:33), reading the Word to know Him better, increase our actions with what we learn, and relying more and more every day on Him. He is the source of life (Jh. 14:6) and we should trust Him with our life.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart…
Pr. 3:5
*Itching ears is a term used in the Bible to describe a person who seeks out messages that please them and fit their lifestyle, as opposed to seeking a truth that might make them uncomfortable.