Encouragement to One Another

I want to take some time today to encourage you.  God tells us to encourage one another.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”  I hope you are enjoying the new you!  How are you feeling?  Are you proud of what you have accomplished with the help of our Lord?  You should be.  I am guessing you have made some amazing changes related to your health that have helped you feel stronger, more confident, healthier, more energy, and probably many other things.  

Comparison

I want to take just a couple minutes to talk about encouraging others when it comes to health.  Often we watch others as they go through their health journeys with feelings of jealousy, pride, or comparison.  John Piper says, “Comparison is either wallowing or boasting, neither of which is helpful”.  It is true!  We compare our success, we compare our failures, and what is the point of all of the comparison?  It either makes us boast or wallow.  There are no helpful components of comparing especially when it comes to how we eat.

Attitude of Encouragement

It is hard to change habits.  Especially if you have had some unhealthy habits for a very long time.  Be careful in identifying unhealthy habits from what the world tells you. Ask yourself, are you taking care of your body? Many of the food “rules” our culture tells us are not actually important or even helpful for our physical health, and often they are destructive for our mental health.

Remember to be patient with yourself.  When you make a mistake, identify it first. Think about why you made that decision.  Find a Bible verse to help you.  Pray about it.  Think of practical ways you resume taking care of your body well.  You can do this!  You have already made so much progress, you must choose to stay on the right road.  Continue on the path to joy, peace, and love for your own body, your own health, and your own mission that God has granted you. You need this physical body to help you do what the Lord has called you to do!

Ways you can Encourage One Another

  1. If you have a friend how is working to change her eating habits for the better, ask how she is doing.  Ask her if you can help her in any way. Ask, don’t tell!
  2. When she tells you how to help, try to do so.  It may be simple, like instead of meeting “out” for lunch, meet at a park and pack your own lunch.  Or it may be a little more involved, like she needs an exercise buddy.  Whatever it is, try to help.
  3. You can give compliments.  It should not be about weight loss or how she looks.  Try complimenting her attitude, her energy, or her choices.
  4. You can be there when she is feeling down or like giving up.  A simple, “I know you can do this” can be just the thing to get someone back into the right mindset of taking care of her body for the Lord!

How to find Encouragment

Ask.  Find a friend or relative and ask her to help you.  Ask for exactly what you think you need.  Having a friend in this with you can make all the difference in the world.  God gave us friends to help us in our journeys and our struggles.  Find a friend that can help you!

If you enjoyed this article, you may also like Winning the Food Battle!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.

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