For a few years, like many people of more mature years, I have been fighting a battle with my weight. It all started when my doctor told me that if my blood pressure went any higher, he would have to send me to a cardiologist to prescribe stronger medication.

I decided to take responsibility for my health and started to eat more responsibly and exercise more. I used an app to track daily my weight and food intake.

Over about 18 months my weight went down from 105 kg to 83 kg. I felt really good about going from XL clothes to L and for the extra energy that I had. Better still, the doctor did not have to refer me to the specialist.

Then life set in. The stresses of the Covid period led me to eating more again, especially chocolate. My parents are elderly and distant, and they both became ill, and that added to the stress eating. By then I was back in the habit of eating snacks morning, noon and night, and the kilos were piling back on.

When my weight tipped over the 90 kg mark, I decided that enough is enough and it’s time to get back on the wagon. I decided to discipline my eating habits as I had a few years ago. Within a couple of days, I had shed more than 1 kg, just by minimising snacks.

Here’s the thing: I knew what I should be doing but I chose not to.

Living for the Lord means that we each must make choices about our lifestyle. Those are daily choices that either take us closer to the Lord or further from Him. Often we know what we should or should not do, but the stresses of life can leave us prone to temptation.

In Romans 7, Paul talks about the struggle with sin that we face. I want to do what is good, but end up doing what is wrong. He asks “Who will set me free from this life dominated by sin and death?” the answer , of course is Jesus Christ.

We don’t have to fight with our temptations and addictions alone. We have Jesus helping, equipping and encouraging us to choose life. The more we choose His way, the easier it becomes,

That really is good news!