Through Christ All Things Are Possible

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

Sometimes life throws curveballs at us. Out of nowhere, life changes and throws us into a trajectory we never anticipated. Why do these things happen and how are we to learn and grow from them? These life changes mold us into who we are in Christ. They mature us, strengthen us, and even change our personalities in unexpected ways.

It was the summer before Beth’s senior year of high school. She was a hard-working, type-A perfectionist that wanted everything to go as planned. The thought of change made her cringe, and as we all know, change is inevitable. Starting her senior year meant graduation was quickly approaching and that was a huge change from the family life she knew and loved.

Beth was known for achieving in school and everything else she attempted, but in her mind, she did not measure up. As much as her parents and teachers praised her, she was never enough to herself. This was the core belief that quickly took her into the depths of depression. She found refuge in her depression because it numbed her mind of the anxiety she did not know how to manage.

The depression soon was not enough to take Beth’s thoughts of worry and anxiety away from her. She needed something stronger to numb the fear of life. That is when her obsession with food and numbers on the scale began. Her school counselors and teachers confronted Beth about the change happening to her social life and her body. She felt they were intrusive and were meddling into something she had under control. She did not need help and the fact that someone had approached her about this embarrassed and irritated her. She saw a therapist one time and then convinced her parents she was healthy.

Once graduation had come and gone, and it was time for Beth to begin her freshman year of college. Things went from bad to terrible. Beth quickly became isolated from all her friends, and she was not invested in her school work. Instead, she was totally consumed with calorie counting, food, and starving her body. She would search the school campus for the best place to purge. She was so starved that she knew every food item that was in the trash bin at the end of the hall. She deprived herself of food one minute and then binged and purged the next. There was no time or room in her brain to think of anything other than that. It was all consuming and it became evident to those around her.

School faculty whom Beth did not even know, approached her at this point and said that she was receiving incompletes on all her grades until she received help. This crushed her. Beth wanted so badly to appear put together and perfect, but she liked the feel of the mind-numbing obsession more.

Her parents then placed her in an in-patient facility that specialized in eating disorders. She was there for 3 weeks and then she had recovery classes. Throughout this time, Beth knew she needed some type of help, but she didn’t think she was sick enough for the type of help they were giving her. She was not accepting of their strategy of recovery. Beth knew God from early on in her life. Her parents raised her in a Christian home, and she had a relationship with Jesus, so she slowly returned to Jesus by beginning to praying to Him. As she was in this recovery program, Jesus was all she had. She prayed that He would shift her way of thinking because she needed help accepting the treatment program.

That is when God opened Beth’s eyes to the destruction she was doing to her body, the body He created in His image. Only then was she able to open up to the change that needed to take place. Because of God, a complete shift in her thinking to receive help took place. She began accepting her doctors and counselors’ way of help.

Beth was finally released from treatment, and it was one of the scariest moments of her life. How was she going to live a normal life after what she had been through? During this limbo phase in her life, she had to devote a lot of attention to staying healthy. She had to shop around to find the best therapist and dietician for her. It took time but her life is proof that it is doable.

As she stepped out into the world, she was amazed at how she could have a real conversation with others without being consumed with herself. She calls this the honeymoon stage of recovery. She could not get enough of the present moment. For so long all she could remember were her thoughts being consumed with numbers and body image. Now, her thoughts were able to shift from herself to the world around her.

God has since blessed Beth with a wonderful husband and 3 beautiful children. She met her husband shortly after her treatment. She says that if she had not accepted the treatment she would not be with her husband today because she was not capable of meeting someone new or even hanging out with friends. Her husband is a righteous man that encourages her daily and does not place any shame on her past. When she met him, he was a welcome change that helped her in her recovery process. Isn’t God so good to His children! His plans are perfect.

God used Beth’s experience to heal her from her consuming personality of perfection. If it wasn't for what she went through, she would not have developed the coping skills to deal with stress and anxiety. God matured her so that she could trust Him instead of being an anxious ball of worry. She says she would not be the wife and mother she is today if she had not learned how to manage the stress of everyday life.

Beth’s biggest encouragement is to not get discouraged when roadblocks come, because they will come. Search for the right help for you no matter your circumstance. It took her many tries to find the right therapist and dietician. Humility plays a huge role in recovery. If the struggle is forgotten, then you can slip back into old habits.

Beth is now working as a nurse at a facility for pediatrics specializing in eating disorders. God has Beth exactly where He wants her. He has brought her full circle, from being the patient to serving those that are going through the same thing she did. She was pursuing a nursing career that was not helping others with eating disorders and God closed that door and opened the door to the career she has now. Beth also serves as a mentor in a recovery program. God uses our experiences to help others. What you go through will not be wasted in God’s kingdom. We are all a part of God’s kingdom work.

There is no room for comparison in our lives. Each person’s journey is different but recovery is possible. Humbly go before the Lord and ask for help in your journey. He is the One that knows every hair on your head. He created you and knows you inside and out. Psalm 139 says God created our inmost being and that He knitted us in our mother’s womb. Your Creator made you exactly the way you are and He is proud of His daughter. Because He made us fearfully and wonderfully, we are to praise His works! God knew our bodies before they were formed and He knows all our days. God is taking care of you no matter what you are going through. Lean on your Creator in times of despair. Run to Him and fall in His open arms so that He may bring healing and restoration to your life. Through God’s mighty power, recovery is in your grasp. Search for God, be patient in your treatment process, give yourself lots of grace, and believe God is doing a great thing in you.

Digging Deeper:

Read Psalm 139

How do you need God to shift your thinking today?

Do you need recovery from an obsession?

Ask God to provide the help you need. Reach out to the people God has put in your life to help you through your struggle.