The Problem is the Pattern

I’m writing this blog piece in the last days of January. Which means most of us are hanging on to the final shreds of our New Year’s Resolutions.

If February is where they go to die, the end of January is where they flop on the ground, gasping for air.

The local gyms are just starting to see a decline in attendance, as the, “This-time-we-mean-it” crowd is discovering they really would just rather sleep an extra hour than get up and work out.

Most of us have rotting produce in the refrigerator that’s been there since the first week of January. Meanwhile, I’ve already gone through TWO boxes of Twinkies.

It’s so difficult though, right? I mean, I WANT to lose the extra weight I put on over the Holidays, but I also want to eat whatever I want whenever I want. (Why do carbs have to taste so good anyway?)

Well, as a man in his mid-forties, I’ve got a few New Years’s (is that a word?) under my belt. I think I’ve learned a thing or two about weight loss, or really, achieving goals of any kind.

The problem is not the product, the problem is the pattern.

Let me explain…

My weight isn’t the problem. My eating and exercise habits are the problem. The weight is merely a symptom.

Do you feel like you never have enough time? Merely a symptom. The problem? The hours you spend on TikTok (or Instagram or Xbox) every week….or DAY for some of you.

And what about spiritual matters?

Do you feel like God is very distant? You guessed it! Merely a symptom. The problem: you’ve fallen out of good habits like prayer, Bible reading, and church.

Ok, so what do we do about all of these problems and symptoms of problems?

We have to fix the patterns.

And be specific!

• “I’m going to do cardio 3 times per week and cut out flour and sugar.”
• “I’m going to spend 5 minutes praying and 5 minutes reading the Bible every day.”
• “I’m going to set time limits on how long I can be on my phone each day. And I can only get on it once I’ve spent quality time with the Lord and my family.”

You get the idea.

I would even go so far as to say, don’t set weight loss goals. Set healthy living goals. Let the weight take care of itself.

You could even get a chart where you can keep track of the progress with checkmarks or star stickers. (Hey, it works for little kids, right?)

With this system for life-change, behavior modification is the goal. And we have 100% control over our behavior.

In reality, I can’t totally control my weight. Genetics, age, body type, gender, all play a role in how much I weigh. So we can get frustrated when we follow a diet to the letter, and we don’t hit our goal weight.

But when the goal is simply to live a healthy life, that’s something we can accomplish and the weight is actually secondary.

In Matthew 9 and in Luke 10 we see God referred to as, “The Lord of the harvest.”

He’s the Lord over the results. We are in charge of farming the land, watering the seeds, eliminating the weeds, etc. But He is in charge of the harvest.

I hope this is freeing for you! If you are faithful to living your life in a way that honors God, the end result is His job, not yours.

Control the controllables, and trust God with the rest.