I mean……Come on

Colossians 2:16-23 (Message)

“So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in the details of diet, worship services, or holy days.  All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come, the substances is Christ. Don’t tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions.  They’re a lot of hot air, that’s all they are. They’re completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as He nourishes us.  So, then, if with Christ you’ve put all that pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? “Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!” Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice.  They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and ascetic. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important.”

This is quite humorous my friends.  I apologize for the lengthy scripture but the whole thing needed to be read in order to understand.  Although back in Jesus day this related more to the religious things of their day, this totally hit home in a 2019 way.  

Funny story, so one day there was a new workout place starting in my hood. Super excited about it cuz it was really geared toward empowering women and I was looking for something new.  Being over 40 now, things are continuing to droop and my walking/jogging was not cutting it anymore. I mean, to the point the treadmill is laughing in my face so off I go one saturday morning to test it out before committing. I couldn’t get out of there quick enough to text my hubby and be like, nope, not happening.  All these women are fit to a tee. Nice ta ta’s, booties, beautiful. I don’t fit. I’m sure they follow some amazing eating plan and belong to two other gyms besides this one. Nope, can’t. Well, what does he do? Comes back at me with this scripture…..why? Because he just got done with Bible Study and this was the word for that day.  Isn’t God just so funny.

Now, this reaction is me ALL THE TIME!!!!  I have a horrible horrible problem with comparing myself to other women. If they’re trying something, I should too.  Social media so doesn’t help me in this area. It also doesn’t help that I’ve struggle with an eating disorder for years (but we will discuss that in another devo!)  Put this all together I’m a hot mess BUT this scripture really hit home. HE nourishes me! Why do I allow myself to be bullied by the things of this world. If it’s about Christ living inside of me and following His lead in my life for health and anything else, then why am I so worked up over what others are doing or looking like? Also, the biggest thing for me to learn and sink my teeth into is that every one of those women have their own heartache or difficult struggle that they are dealing with too. No matter what they look like on the outside.

I do not have to conform to what anyone else looks like or what they are doing but I do need to be confident in who I am because of Christ living inside of me.

Bottom line, I did join the gym AND such a beautiful gift from above, the following class I went to had every shape and size in it.  Now THAT is beauty!

Can you believe with everything in you that Christ is your nourisher?  Are you able to quiet the talk around you that wants you to do this or start that because it will make you better? YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

“Be who God wants you to be, not what others want to see.”