Originally published Wednesday, 01 July 2015.
My husband loves war movies. Me, not so much, but I do like a good win. We both like it when the good guys win. He likes watching the struggles, watching the strategies work and I like to see the victory flags fly. The other day I was thinking about battles in my own life and realized I’ve made it across many finish lines.
Every battle demands a victory. Every victory is won through a battle. Without battles there are no winners.
I have 132 reasons why I am victorious today. I’ve lost a significant amount of weight and have kept it off for 18 months. That’s a victory in itself, but then I read that only 5% of people who accomplish a significant amount of weight loss like this keep it off.
I was immediately grateful for the battles that it took to get me to this kind of lifestyle change. I’ve worked hard to get here and have no plans to go back. A victory that is hard fought commands that I rest in this strategic lifestyle change. I have truly been changed by the battles I’ve fought through.
There have been many changes that have brought overall freedom in my life. I’ve pushed through fitness by finishing a 10K race. I have stepped past knee and back pain that used to keep me from moving at all. I have fought hard for a battle ground that left me with 30 lbs of regained weight. I started a new strategy and lost those 30 lbs plus 30 more! I have piled up my excuses and put them aside into a place that has been buried deep in the trench of my past.
I have crossed the line of freedom and am living free from the bondage of food.
I am living free….those words mean so much to me. Anyone who has had any kind of shame-laden addiction knows the weight of these words. I don’t have to cower behind the fear of those flaws anymore because I have been set free in my mind to see God’s grace and healing.
My friend Mary said it once when we shared some time together, “You are not her anymore!” She was referring to the person that I used to be. But in that one touch of grace, God healed my low-self esteem, and boosted my confidence. I realized that to be a victor, I needed to run free in the victory that He has given me in so many ways.
So friends, I remind you that wars are hard, life is full of battles in many ways, and we fight our flesh daily. But the battles get us closer to winning. And as they say in the world of running, finishing is winning. If you don’t go after what you want, you will never achieve change. If you don’t step forward, you will always be where you are today.
Step out to find out what you are made of. God is with you the whole way and in each battle. He is on our side and with Him in our trenches of life, He leads us to victory. It’s your choice to choose freedom or to succumb to the heat of the battle. But remember, every battle has a winner.
Will that winner be you? Don’t give up!
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