Week 1 - Giving Up Control...

For our first week of classes we discussed the issue of giving God control of our lives and our eating disorders.  All of our "addictions" are a way to find control in our lives, which may otherwise feel out of control.  We look for control because it's an escape from hurt relationships, family situations, stress, etc.  What begins as a way to gain control over something in our lives, turns into something that not only controls us, but consumes every fiber of our being.  For each person that truly seeks recovery, it is a realization that we must give God control of our lives for us to find contentment again.

Each of us face a battle in our minds.  There is a constant battle to believe Satan's lies or to accept God's truth.  Satan tells us that we're not good enough, or not thin enough, or not strong enough.  God tells us that we can only find truth in Him.  The idea that we can control our lives is a lie.  As someone who struggled with an eating disorder for over 10 years, I know this is a lie.  My attempts to control things always failed and will always fail unless I allow God to have control over my life.  

God made us in our mother's womb and he has good and perfect plans for our future (Jeremiah 29:11).  Why wouldn't we want him to control our footsteps?  

We took some time to listen to a song by Caedmons Call called Piece of Glass.  The song talks about the mirror and how it's lies begin to consume the mind of someone with an eating disorder.  Listen...

The good news is that we don't have to rely on a piece of glass to determine our self worth because in Christ we already have self worth.  We are accepted and loved unconditionally.  The mirror will always lie and deceive, but God's word is truth!  God's word says that...

• "My help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth."  Psalm 121: 1-2
  
• "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble."  Psalm 46:1
  
• "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:12, 13

We listed some affirmations about ourselves from God's truth on post-it notes for each of us to keep on our mirrors.  Fighting the lies of this world requires constantly having your mind filled with God's truth through Scripture, songs, and prayer.  Each girl in the group offered an affirmation for us to write down.  Our post-it note this week read...

1. God loves me just the way I am
2. God's plan for my life is beyond my wildest dreams
3. I find my value in the one who gives me value
4. If you can't believe it's truth, then trust the One who knows it's true
5. I am good enough
6. The size of my heart is more important than the size of my jeans
7. There is more that God wants me to be than skinny.
   

Who has control of your life? You or God?