Weight Loss Bible Study Day 12: Hopeless Eating

Have you ever thought, I’ll never get over this, I’ll be struggling with my weight ’til the day I die?

I used to think that.

What I came to realize through hours of truth journaling is that my eating compulsion wasn’t hopeless as long as I kept fighting lies with truth.

God used the truth to set me free. But before He set me free, He gave me hope. After an evening of breaking my boundaries, I’d write in my journal: This time is just like all the others. I’ll never change.

And God would answer: This time isn’t like all the others – because this time you’re fighting lies with truth. And the truth will set you free. 

He was right.

Hopeless Eating Bible Study

1. Read Luke 4:1-13 and answer the following questions:
   1. What did Jesus do every time Satan tempted Him?
   2. Why do you think He did that?
   3. What do the following verses say about Jesus and temptation?
      1. Hebrews 2:18
      2. Hebrews 4:15
      3. Hebrews 5:8
   4. Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully human. He struggled with temptation. Do you think He could have said no to temptation without using Scripture to fight the lies of Satan?
      1. Yes: If so, why did He use Scripture if He didn’t need it?
      2. No: If not, what can you learn from His example?
   5. Read the passage again. Was it always obvious that Satan was asking Jesus to do something against God’s will? Explain.
2. When you’re tempted to break your boundaries, are the lies you’re believing obvious?
3. What will you need to do if you want to be able to recognize the lies that are driving you to eat?
4. What do you usually do when you’re tempted to break your boundaries?
5. How effective is that?
6. Do you think it would be easier to follow your boundaries if you made a practice of replacing lies with truth whenever you were tempted? Why or why not?
7. What else did Jesus do to prepare for temptation? (Luke 4:1)
8. Do you think it’s important to spend time with God each day in prayer and the study of His Word? Why or why not?
9. When are you most likely to be tempted to break your boundaries? (i.e. times of the day, situations, etc.)
10. Could you prepare ahead of time for those times of temptation? If so, how could you prepare?
11. How long have you been diligently renewing your mind about the lies that make you eat?
12. On a scale of 1 to 10, how diligent have you been in the past couple of months?
13. Will you have more reason to be hopeful about the eventual freedom from the control of food if you continue to renew your mind? Why or why not?

Note: If you’re an emotional eater, don’t forget to renew your mind about your emotions. I’m not sure it’s possible to break free from the control of food if you don’t break free from the thoughts that are fueling your negative emotions.

If you struggle with hopeless eating, use these questions from the I Deserve a Donut app:

 Hopeless Eating 

1. How many years have you been struggling with your weight and eating issues?
2. How many years (or weeks) have you been diligent about applying truth to the lies that are fueling your habit?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how diligent have you been?
4. When you think of how long you’ve been renewing your mind compared to how long you’ve had this problem, is it realistic to expect 100% victory at this point? Why or why not?
5. Since you can’t change the past, which of the following do you think God wants you to do now?
   1. Try to find the perfect diet that will make losing weight fun and easy. *
   2. Give up and start eating.
   3. Beat yourself up and think about what a loser you are.
   4. Sit back and wait for God to change you in His time.
   5. Remember that you’re in a spiritual battle, and expect it to be difficult. Fight the battle with spiritual weapons and renew your mind every time you feel like eating outside your boundaries. Trust God to change you in His time. *
6. What should you expect if you choose the last option? (Think of Jesus in the desert, Jesus in Gethsemane, Job’s attack by Satan, and Hebrews 12.)
7. Is there anything you need to accept?
8. Is there anything you need to do?

** Note: Is this really possible? If it is, write and tell me about it. I want that diet!