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I used to anticipate weigh day with a mixture of hope and dread. It would be the barometer that would tell me if I’d been “good.” It would define my self-worth and be the source of my joy. Remember: The joy of the scale was my strength. Not anymore! There’s a new way to approach and respond to weigh day.

Before I stepped on the scale this morning, I prayed, “God, I submit myself to You. Please help me grow in wisdom.”

I was a little surprised by that coming out of my heart but I think it shows growth from the old days of diet addiction. And you know how sometimes we’ll pray and the prayer actually teaches us? That’s what happened today. I realized that the scale was just a barometer to help me grow in wisdom–not tell me what I’m worth. It’s just feedback! And then the Holy Spirit can help me grow in hearing His voice in the next week–better than I did the week before perhaps.

So that’s a new approach. Here’s how I used to respond to Weigh Day–either with joy or sadness. And, yet the joy might even make me relax my diet. Thus, the yo-yo! And, sadness would take me down a path I never want to return to: questioning–maybe this is the wrong diet; condemnation–what is wrong with me?; hopelessness–I’m never going to change!  The cycle continued.

Here’s a new response: Gratitude.

When I lost last week, my heart overflowed in gratitude and praise to God–the One who was delivering and freeing me. Not for a diet but for the One who can only rescue me.

And when I gained this week, I can’t say my heart overflowed with gratitude, but I was thankful to God for helping me to grow in wisdom and recommit to following Him and listening to His voice in this journey.

I’m telling you: This is a world of difference from the pain of bondage to the scale I’ve travelled for 40 years. It doesn’t have the power over me it once did.

I am grateful!