ENCOURAGED IN HEART

My weekly weigh-in revealed an exact one pound gain – ugh, and double ugh.  It was not a big surprise.  My daily accountability weigh-ins were telling me the week’s extra snacks were certainly adding up, despite my work outs!   As the third week of interrupted sleep, work and school missed and challenging days are prayerfully coming to a close, I’m back in full-swing action! My hubby’s all better and I believe the boys and I are now purged of the buggery, coughing, pink eye, sore throat viruses!

One pound may not sound like a big deal to you, but I’m so close to the last of my goals (set five years ago), it is a “deal” to me…I just want to get done!   Am I irritated? Absolutely.  I’m so close to the finish line!  Am I throwing in the towel? Absolutely not!  (I have a $100 outlet shopping spree waiting on me to get the last five pounds melted off! And I’m psyched about that one!)

I am a Type A type of gal and love checking items off my perpetually flowing “To Do” list! Get to my last weight loss goal is eagerly waiting to be checked off!

I am glad to report that I am struck down but not destroyed!  This leads me to the nugget God dropped into my heart.  Sunday, when I stepped off our scale, Lucy (yes, we named our scale…since she’s no longer the enemy,
Lucifer, we decided Lucy is the more appropriate name).

I started humming this song, specifically one verse – “struck down but not destroyed”.

Trading My Sorrows by Darrell Evans

I’m trading my sorrow
I’m trading my shame
I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I’m trading my sickness
I’m trading my pain
I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord
Chorus:
And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I’m pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I’m blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy’s gonna be my strength

Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning

Since I am so close to the last of my long range goals, I do feel disappointed in a weekly gain.  But God wouldn’t let me rest on that thought.  Just minutes later, in my private time chair, I read this inspirational statement:

“Our ultimate aim in life is not to be healthy, wealthy, prosperous, or problem free.  Our ultimate aim in life is to bring glory to God.” Anne Graham Lotz (Fun tidbit: Anne is one of Billy and Ruth Graham’s five children.)

Am I more focused on getting healthy than bringing glory to God?

I sure hope not!  It is my heart that through this journey and transformation, others see God and He is glorified!

I pray no matter where you are in your current journey, you realize that you and I are on this journey for one purpose only.  To bring glory to God…not to ourself, but to God!  That was Jesus’ mission on the earth.

In John 8:54, ”Jesus replied, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.’”

If you feel struck down and destroyed today, will you quit? Or will you trust God to work it out and turn it into His Glory?  The choice is yours. And may the glory be His!