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Day 34: SPONSORSHIP


  • In John 14:26 Jesus tells His disciples that the Father will send the Holy Spirit who will teach them and remind them of everything He has said.  This lets me know that the Holy Spirit is the teacher. When a heart is surrendered to the Lord, the indwelling Spirit can bring many blessings through that surrendered heart.
  • In my early years of abstinence I was told that “humility” can be thought of as “teacheability.”  Pride, humility’s opposite, keeps me resistant to learning from others.  As long as I insist on doing things “my way” I lose out on vital lessons that could move me closer to the unique calling that God has made on my life. When I behave in this rebellious manner, “my way” can become an idol. (Jonah 2:8)
  • My abstinence requires a daily surrender to the fact that managing my food by myself is not an option.  Before this present abstinence, I had many years of trying to sponsor myself.  I would justify “today’s indulgences” by making promises about “tomorrow.”  The truth, then and now, is that I have no promise of tomorrow.  God has given me today.  Turning my back on His convictions is sin. (James 4:17)  When rebellion threatens to return, I am learning to stay away from the extremes of self condemnation and justification.  The best use of my time is to pray sincere prayers for willingness and strength. (Philippians 4:6-7)
  • Sometimes I would point out the personality imperfections in a sponsor as my justification of not working with and learning from a mentor. The Bible reminds me that there is no one righteous. (Romans 3:23), nevertheless, God can use anyone or anything to teach lessons of living. He used a donkey to teach a prophet (Numbers 22:21-41). He used a servant to instruct a commander (2 Kings 5:13). He used food to teach me.
  • When I was first getting abstinent and had my weight to lose, there was a popular saying– “Service is slenderizing.”  I have found that sincere, compassionate work with other compulsive overeaters can truly take away hunger.  The Holy Spirit is needed to serve with sincerity and compassion.  When I am filled with the Spirit of God, my service becomes a form of praise and this is more satisfying than the richest of foods. (Psalm 63: 1-5)

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