Diet & Wisdom Appetizers

At my weekly support group meeting this week, as we were leaving a challenge was presented to the group for the upcoming week. The challenge was to resist thinking OR saying anything negative about ourselves for the whole week. One girl in the class said it best: “The WHOLE WEEK???!!!!”

If that girl’s reaction is any indication, clearly I’m not the only woman who struggles with taming her self-deprecating thoughts about herself. It is somewhat easier to tame my tongue in comparison to my thoughts. Those seem to have a mind of their own.

Those negative self-loathing thoughts pop into my head seemingly uninvited with little or no provocation. All it takes is a walk by a single mirror to motivate my lip to curl in disgust followed by some sort of mental lambasting about my facial flaws or physical imperfections.

I confess a whole week does present certain pitfalls when it comes to keeping quiet with my negative comments. So far after only two days, I’ve done a deplorable job. Last night my family went swimming and I declined to join them and sat pool side while they enjoyed a refreshing dip. As is my nature, I offered up a warning to my kids telling them I wasn’t swimming for their benefit. I didn’t want to scar them emotionally for the rest of their lives by having to witness my frumpy form in my swimsuit.

I don’t know why I can’t keep my comments to myself – but even if I wouldn’t have shared them, I would still have been thinking those negative thoughts. How do we go from zipping our lip to not even letting those negative put downs into our brains in the first place?

For me it comes down to practicing what I preach. I’m the first one to tell others when you start dwelling on a negative thought, you must instantly replace it with a positive affirmation about what God says in His Word. That’s why it’s so important that we not only read the Word on a regular basis, but we need to study it, we need to memorize it and we need to KNOW the Word.

When I think, “I’m so fat and disgusting in my swimsuit;” I need to replace that instantly with “I am made in the image and likeness of God.” I need to write 1 Peter 3:4 on an index card and post it on my mirror so I can remind myself every day: You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

It’s not easy to retrain our thoughts and words. It starts with one thought at a time. I’ve decided I’m going to succeed at this weeklong challenge, and who knows – if I practice replacing those negative thoughts and words enough this week, perhaps I can do it the week after that … and the week after that and …. Just maybe it’ll become a habit to look in the mirror and see the beautiful woman God created me to be.

Cure yourself of the affliction of caring how you appear to others. Concern yourself only with how you appear before God, concern yourself only with the idea that God may have of you. ~Miguel De Unamuno

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:49 (NLT)

PRAYER FOR TODAY: Lord, I ask that you would guard the words of my mouth and the thoughts that I think. May I refuse all negatives thoughts that pop into my mind and replace them with affirming and uplifting thoughts instead. Help me to dwell on what is pure and lovely and refuse to give voice to those negative thoughts about myself. I ask all these things in your holy name, Lord Jesus. Amen.