“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Read John 8:31-36
Identify what circumstance is keeping you from abiding in Jesus.
Through our relationship with Jesus, we learn a new truth that helps us navigate life. It can be easy to repeatedly make the same mistake over and over. There is an allegory of a person walking down a street. As they come to a crossroad, they decide to turn and go down another street. As they are walking down this street, they fall into a pit. The next day they get up and go through the same process, ending up in the same pit. Day after day they repeat the same scenario. They don’t understand how or why this keeps happening. They don’t want to be in the pit, but they feel powerless to help themselves.
Experience a new truth that Jesus can set you free from circumstances keeping you bound.
One day they stop right before the pit, but not fast enough to keep them from falling into the pit. They do this several more times. Then, eventually, they are able to walk around the pit. However, they still keep turning to walk down the same street that has the pit. The pit, that if they are not careful, they will fall into again. The day finally comes when they determine to not turn to go down the street that has the pit. Instead, they keep walking down the street they are on. They completely avoid the street that has the pit. Their freedom is found from the circumstance that had kept them bound for too long.
In John chapter 8:31-33, “Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus encouraged them to abide in him. Abide by daily choosing, from the heart (soul, mind, body, entire being), to trust and obey him. The goal in this abiding was that, in knowing the truth, they could be set free. The same is true of us today.
Discover that transformation of our patterns happens by allowing the truth of Jesus to penetrate our heart.
John 15:4 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” Our thinking becomes transformed by studying the bible, praying, hearing sermons, and being accountable to other believers. Little by little we become more like him. He changes us. He changes our desires, thoughts, and actions. He changes everything! We submit ourselves to him. We decide to walk in accordance with what he desires. Then we find the peace that passes all understanding. We find strength when we are weak. He becomes our treasure with riches beyond compare, for this life and the next.
In addition to our spiritual lives, abiding also has benefits for us on very practical levels. Within the journey through weight loss, we can become restricted by patterns that compromise our ability to make progress. However, we can become enlightened to new ways of thinking and behaving. Ways that can set us free from the struggles we have come to experience. The key is for us to abide in Jesus for strength. Therefore, we will abide in the information we are learning about best practices for personal well-being. Then we can walk in the freedom that is found in newness of life.
Abiding in Jesus is a new truth that conforms our desires to his and guides us through our journey of life.
There are so many pits that we can fall into each day. We need help navigating life. By abiding in Jesus our hearts and minds are transformed to join with the desires he has for us. Eventually, in response to consistently remaining close (abiding) to Jesus, we can lead different lives. We can learn to avoid the pits that can be found in our desires, thoughts and actions. He fills us and helps us for our benefit and for his glory.
Questions:
Do you see food as a pit fall in your life? If so, can you identify how this has worked against your efforts to achieve a healthy lifestyle?
Take a few moments to write down 3 patterns that require your attention in order for you to be successful in weight loss.
Do you believe it is possible to change your eating patterns? If so, how might this look different in your daily life?
Take a few moments to spend time in prayer asking God to help you identify and change any patterns that are compromising your ability to achieve success in weight loss.
Song: