Are you unhappy about a situation in your life, but it seems to persist anyway?
I woke up this morning with the word “Enough!” on my mind.
It is an important word if you want to make permanent changes in your life, especially in Christian weight loss.
Let me explain.
A couple of years ago, I received an email from a lady who had not reached her “Enough!” point yet.
She wrote:
I still have a great problem with my weight. Suffering from hypothyroid and high blood pressure. I need to do something, but I am too busy.”
“I am too busy” was the clue that “Enough!” was not there.
Whatever was making her “too busy” was more important to her at that time than dealing with her weight, high blood pressure and hypothyroidism.
She hadn’t had her fill of dealing with these painful consequences, so they were not enough to motivate her to change.
I can relate to this because I was the same way many years ago. But more about that later.
An example of someone in the Bible who hadn’t reached their “Enough!” point is that of Pharaoh and the frogs in Exodus 8:1-15.
The plague of frogs was one of 10 plagues God sent against Egypt to get Pharaoh to release His people from slavery.
God made frogs come out of the river to cover Egypt. Frogs came into the Egyptians’ homes, their bedrooms, on their beds, into their ovens and kneading bowls. They even covered the people.
Ewww!
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron to him, requesting that they ask the Lord to take the frogs away. Moses asked Pharaoh when he should intercede for him.
Guess what Pharaoh said? Tomorrow!
See? Pharaoh had not had his fill of frogs, so he was willing to live with them another day. He had not reached his “Enough!”
I can tell you the exact date I reached my “Enough!” point regarding my weight. It was Dec. 11, 2003.
I was 240 pounds. Although I was unhappy about weighing that much, I was willing to live with it.
Maintaining my current lifestyle habits was more important to me than dealing with my weight at the time. I wasn’t willing to change what I ate or exercise permanently.
But then that chest pain hit me. I was only 38 years-old and in that moment, I thought I was going to die. That was “Enough!” for me.
I valued my life.
When God said “It is not supposed to be this way” in the midst of that pain, I grabbed onto the hope He offered me like a lifeline. I had a doctor’s appointment card, and I wrote on the back of it: “Today is the day I turn my life around.”
Pain was what it finally took for Pharaoh to change too. The frogs were only plague No. 2. But it was reaching No. 10 that did it.
Here is a recap of all the pain he endured before and after that. Pharaoh was not only hard-hearted, but hardheaded.
1. Water to Blood: Not Enough
2. Frogs: Not Enough
3. Lice: Not Enough
4. Flies: Not Enough
5. Livestock Diseased: Not Enough
6. Boils: Not Enough
7. Thunder and Hail: Not Enough
8. Locusts: Not Enough
9. Darkness: Not Enough
10. Death of His Firstborn Son: Enough!
It was only when the plague hit something Pharaoh cared about, that he valued, that he reached “Enough!” The sign of his “Enough!” was taking action; he finally let God’s people go.
Regarding your current health habits, are you happy with the results they are bringing into your life? If not, then make a list of all the negative consequences you are enduring because of them currently.
Then write by each item on your list either “Not Enough” or “Enough!”
Only the ones you judge “Enough!” are strong enough to motivate you to change for good. They are the only ones strong enough to help you endure when your flesh complains as you are changing.
I have discovered that if you have a strong “Enough!” (your “Why am I doing this?” answer), you are willing to do what it takes to succeed.
So ask yourself, “Have I reached my ‘Enough!’ yet?”
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