The Christmas Scale Fiasco
Jan 14, 2025
Soooo, I did something I shouldn’t have done. I knew better. Still, I did it. Let me backtrack a little bit before I tell you how I messed up. I got rid of my bathroom scale over a year ago now, it was a huge problem for me, it dictated my moods, I was literally a slave to it, weighing myself multiple times a day, I think what I was really hoping for, was the scale to let me know I could relax, I had made it, alas, it never did.
I have been navigating this rocky road called “body image freedom,’ and it certainly is not a linear journey. One minute, I am totally free in the Lord, culture’s beauty standards have no grip on me, then the next minute, I am alone in my mother-in-law’s house and I spot her bathroom scale. Why did I step on it? I knew better. The number wasn’t as much as I thought it would be, but it wasn’t as small as I had hoped it would be either. It sent me reeling. For FIVE days. For five days, I planned crash diets, but thought better of it, and instead planned sustainable ‘lifestyle changes.’ I subconsciously, or maybe not so subconsciously, ate less, then ate more, because I was eating less. It was a roller-coaster of emotions. My clothes felt tighter, my reflection looked more disappointing than usual, flab seemed flabbier, the sparkle was gone out of life, all because I stepped on the scale and was aware of a number. I’ll rewind just one day before I stepped on the scale to give you some contrast, I was really feeling great. I was proud of how I was taking care of my body, and not obsessing over food. I felt good in my clothes, I was living my life, loving others, not obsessed with myself and the way my body looked, but because I stepped on the scale (and I knew better than to do it when I did it), it cost me 5 days locked inside my mind, fighting myself, scheming on how I could make the number on the scale less, make my body smaller, once and for all get thin because I just couldn’t cope with a number like that. I HAD to lose weight.
My body was back on the throne of my heart, it was consuming me. It was my top priority for those 5 days. That old idolatrous body weight obsession snuck up on me, again and vied for God’s place in my heart. It reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Am I that easy to take down? Yes, I really am, I have to stay connected to the vine, feeding myself the truth of Scripture, rejecting my old worldly nature, continually kicking those filthy idols out of my life whenever they try to creep back in. It can be something as simple as stepping on a scale, looking in the mirror too many times to check if my stomach still isn’t flat, trying on that old pair of jeans just to see if they’re still tight, comparing myself to my super-thin sister-in-law, even comparing myself to my past self. All those seemingly inconsequential things can take me out and down a dangerous path of self obsession. It can literally devour me if I let it. It can rob, steal, and kill moments in my life that could be joyful and meaningful.
I’m following the Bible Recap plan in the YouVersion Bible App, I’m 93 days behind, so I am not finishing Revelation like I am supposed to be, instead I’m in Nehemiah. I’m in Nehemiah 6, where he is engaged in his work for the Lord, and the evil men Geshem and Sanballat keep trying to lure him away from his work. Those scoundrels tried everything they could to intimidate Nehemiah, they called him and the Jews pathetic losers, trying to convince them they didn’t measure up, they tried to fear monger him, lots of stuff, go read about it in Nehemiah, they were relentless. Anyway, Nehemiah knows they mean him harm, so he resists them and pushes on in his God given assignment. Their goal is to distract him, throw him off course, intimidate him, and maybe even kill him, because they hate him and the Jews. They keep asking Nehemiah to meet them at the villages in the plains of Ono, but he won’t go, This is quoted from the NLT, Nehemiah 6:2b-3: “But I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?” Nehemiah knew these men were prowling around seeking to destroy him, so he avoided them and continued to do what God had called him to do, rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. These men didn’t just show up once, they came after him again and again, like an annoying mosquito with an appetite for blood, and body image issues are exactly the same, they don’t just magically disappear, not in this world anyway! When I’m tempted to randomly step on a scale to just see that number, or stand infront of the mirror and pinch my belly rolls, or become discouraged by the chaffing of these thighs, I have to remember God’s Word, that I am engaged in a great work, I cannot disengage from my calling to fixate on my perceived imperfections, my life isn’t about me and oh! how freeing that is! Don’t hear me wrong, I’m not saying don’t take care of yourself, eat well so you feel good and have the energy to love those around you, exercise in ways that invigorate you, not make you miserable! Let’s remember Nehemiah. He didn’t wander off, he stayed alert, he stayed by the Good Shepherd’s plan for him, and avoided the prowling enemy.
This passage weighed heavy on my heart today as I’m coming out of that 5 day period where I was thrown off course. What if I would have looked at the scale, known what it would do to me, and said, “Look, I can’t do this, I’m engaged in a great work in my life, serving the Lord, loving Him, and loving the people He has given me, I can’t afford to be distracted.” This world has lots to offer to distract me and throw me off God’s plan for my life, but I pray the Lord will bring Nehemiah’s words to my mind every time I am tempted to step on a scale, plan a diet, or worry about my appearance, and I pray that for you too my friend.
Hi there! I'm Presli Joubert, wife, mom to two boys age 9 and 3, and I've been working with Compared to Who for about a year now. After a moment of desperation, fed up and exhausted with my obsession with my body and food, I scoured the internet searching for relief and I found Heather's podcast Compared to Who. I was so profoundly impacted by her podcast that I knew I had to be a part of it, & it has been one of the most liberating experiences of my life. The obsession with my weight, fear, shame, insecurity, food issues, used to rule me, but today I can confidently say I'm walking in victory. I don't always have it all together (obviously!) but I know how to reset and get back on to God's bigger plan for me, I am engaged in a great work, and I'm so thankful to be here! I love Jesus and I love people (and donuts, and I'll never say no to pizza). Follow us on instagram @ComparedtoWho!
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