Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
(Romans 12:1-2)
LEARN
Let’s be real here: it’s hard to be a woman in today’s society. It seems like everywhere you turn, someone is telling you who or what you need to be - how to truly be a woman. “Real women have thighs”, “real women wear __ size pants”, “real women eat cheeseburgers”, “real women don’t weigh above ___ pounds” - the world seems to have a hundred different versions of what a “real woman” looks and acts like. And, if we’re still being real here, it’s absolutely crushing.
As a woman who struggles with being a perfectionist, and has spent her whole life in a world that’s constantly shouting instructions for so-called “perfection”, I’ve gotten to see the damage these expectations have done in my own life. In fact, I was impacted by them so heavily that for nearly four years I battled an eating disorder.
Now, before we start, I’d like to set the record straight : eating disorders are ugly; they’re soul-crushing and all-consuming, and unfortunately, so often they are also invisible. At least, that was the case for me. Because of the idea of what “real eating disorders” look like, nobody ever noticed that I was unhealthy - including myself - until I was already so deeply engulfed. I had an off-and-on relationship with Bulimia through many seasons of my life; at first it seemed so trivial, and later, just another one of my quirks. So what if I lost 15 pounds in a week, right? It wasn’t a big deal, I had bigger things to worry about. But this quirk, this “small issue”, just sat inside of me, growing stronger and stronger, until it saw an opening - then it took over completely.
Now, this all started before I was a follower of Christ. It wasn’t until nearly 3 years into having this disorder that I finally accepted that Jesus is Lord, and things finally started looking up. I can’t tell you that all of my problems were fixed as soon as I accepted Jesus into my life - it doesn’t quite work like that - but I can tell you that through Jesus, I was given a fighting chance to finally win this one battle. So, if you’re sitting at your computer screen and feeling that drop in your stomach, which is probably either a little too empty or a little too full, please keep reading - this is for you.
Your body does not belong to you. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Your body belongs to God, so why are you mistreating it? If you were to house-sit for a close friend, would you let all of their plants wither and die, or would you do your very best to keep them alive? Why aren’t you willing to steward your own body well in tribute to the Lord?
I know that right now, food rules your life, but it shouldn’t. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). The kingdom of God is so much bigger than the calories you’re counting, the meals you’re eating or not eating, or the size of your body. Your Father loves you more than you can imagine, and He made you in His own image. This is a battle God never wanted for you to fight, but He will give you the strength to fight it, and eventually, come out victorious.
KNOW
There is no one shape or size that glorifies the Lord.
Your value comes only from the Lord.
Do you believe that a perfect God made a mistake when he made your body?
Do you see yourself through the eyes of the world, or through the eyes of Jesus?
Does restricting or binging give you a sense of control over an aspect of your life?
What do you see when you look in the mirror: a daughter of the King, or only flaws?
What is the root of your distorted relationship with food?
It’s not good to do things alone. Even God Himself lives in community within the Trinity.
DO
If seeing yourself in the mirror causes you to tear apart your imperfections, cover it up.
Remind yourself to have the mind of Christ.
When you think something negative about yourself, ALWAYS combat that with truths from God.
Pray before you eat. Ask God to calm your anxieties about eating, and to give you the strength to overcome these struggles.
Confess your struggles to someone close to you, and ask them for help. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Ask this person to keep you accountable with healthy eating habits, and confess to them whenever you are struggling.
Keep a journal of what food you eat each day for 1 week. After the week is over, go back and reflect on your journal, and ask yourself these questions
Are these patterns healthy and sustaining?
How did I physically feel on these days? How did I emotionally feel?
Was my eating directed by lies I’m believing, or was it directed by the desire to glorify God?
Am I stewarding my body well?
It might seem like things get worse before they get better, but if you’re willing to fight, I promise they WILL get better. Just keep on fighting, sister, and remember that the Lord is with you for every step.
