The Hard Work of Knowing God and Losing Weight

I know exactly why weight-loss books are best sellers. It is very, very easy to buy a book……even an expensive one. “If I buy this book, I’ll lose weight,” I say to myself. It is slightly harder to actually read the book. Sitting as a decoration on my bookshelf as one walks in my front door is a beautiful little book called, “Eating Pure in a Processed World.” Looking at it sitting there makes me feel reeeeally healthy. (I’m not joking.) And, it makes me look healthy to other people who come to my home. But here is the hard truth:  What is exponentially harder than buying or reading a book, is doing the hard work of applying the principles in said book to one’s daily life. Losing weight and learning to cook healthy recipes requires a daily investment of energy and emotion.  Truth be told, I did make one recipe out of the “Eating Pure” book. I made caramelized onions. There was a “front end load” to that new recipe (time and effort), but since the first time my husband and I tasted and loved this amazing treat, I’ve made them multiple times (from memory) and my quality of life has improved. (Well, my taste buds are happier, anyway.)

But this is not a blog about eating healthy. This is Jennie Belzer’s testimony about the hard work of knowing God. Why is my shelf full of books written by people who knew God? Because it is easy to click on Amazon “one click purchase” and buy a used book for a dollar or two. I buy good books too! They are not fluff. Often they are full of the riches of wisdom of someone who spent a lifetime investing themselves in knowing and walking with God. Do you think Hannah Hurnard just thought up the allegory contained in “Hind’s Feet on High Places”? No, she went through years of a personal journey and transformation with the Shepherd in real life and real time. She experienced the real pain of walking with those two companions–Sorrow and Suffering. The first time I read that book, when I found out what her companions’ names were, I didn’t want to keep reading it. Hannah Hurnard paid a price in life to write a book that had what Amy Carmichael (19th century missionary) calls “fire words.” These are words that carry authority. Good books inspire us.

So I buy these books. And I actually do read them. I even write about them. I do this because deep in my heart of hearts I want to know God. I want the privilege of being called a friend of God. I want Him to look at me and exclaim, “I know you, Jennie Belzer!” Yes, we all want this as much or more than we want to lose 10 pounds, but are we willing to do the work to get the results?? That is the question. Well……do you think friendship with God is worth it? Do you have a little grudge against Him that makes it easy to keep your distance? Do you say to yourself in clean conscience, “I have so little time.” But, be honest, folks, we all know we DO have time for the things we really want to do. I mean, I have time to read PEOPLE magazine from cover to cover every time I go to Jiffy Lube for an hour. We have time to waste on Facebook and YouTube. Americans of all people have plenty of discretionary time. The deeper question is do I want to spend my discretionary time getting to know God or getting to find out the details of Brad Pitt’s divorce?

At the beginning of 2017, I sincerely told the Lord, “I want to know You.” (This is not the first time I’ve said this, and He knew I really meant it.) In response He said, “Read the book of Ruth. In it you will find Me if you really want Me.” I read the book. I soaked in it. I asked the Holy Spirit to illuminate it. I studied some of it, and I meditated on it. I gave it two full weeks of my discretionary time. In response, the bread of His word was broken for me, and I tasted Him and found Him. My heart said,  “Wow! You are good, Lord! You ‘get’ me. You know the hidden secrets of my heart, and I am not afraid for You to see them.” Preceding this was six years of inner healing (very hard work and a willingness to be vulnerable about my brokenness). In those years I learned that God can be trusted. As I lean towards Him daily, I am finding He surprises me!  In fact,  my 2017 word of the year happens to be “surprise”. My first two surprises for 2017…….God Himself and caramelized onions!!