I had major surgery on my back in March of 2023. Due to inactivity and medications, I gained a fair amount of weight. Once I could start walking again and doing other forms of simple exercises, the weight began to come off slowly. However, after losing roughly 15 pounds, I reached a plateau. It seemed that no matter what I did, the weight beyond that was most difficult to remove.

So, I've had close to a year to observe this formula that apparently explains what's going on inside me ~  I can eat celery three times a day for a week, and maybe lose a pound that week. However, if I so much as look at a photograph of a cookie, a piece of cake, or a hamburger, I will instantly gain 3 pounds! 

Can anyone else relate to this?!

The "good" that I want to do (losing the weight) seems so difficult. However, the evil that I don't want to do (gaining weight) seems to happen all too easily. 

Does any of this sound familiar? A spiritual parallel to this seems to be exactly what the Apostle Paul is describing in Romans 7:19-25. We want to do the "good" that is really at the desire of our hearts because of the new nature we have in Christ, but sin is right there trying to force us in the opposite direction. Hebrews 12:1 hints at this, too, by mentioning the "sin that so easily besets (entangles) us".

The key is not giving in! The goal is to pick ourselves up when we fail and continue the fight! The Bible exhorts us to continually be renewing our minds (Romans 12:2) and keeping our eyes on the prize (Philippians 3:14).

(SO ~ I'm going to win this battle with my weight! I'm up to celery FOUR times a day now!.... )

In Christ,