Jen’s Gem: Your future is waiting for you.
For the past several months, I have been on a weight loss journey. As I get closer to my goal, I am vowing to never go around this mountain again. It has been a challenge and taken longer than I expected but the goal is in sight.
We are currently experiencing a heat wave in Connecticut with temperatures in the triple digits and air quality so bad that there are warnings popping up on the local news to stay inside. Knowing this, I decided to go on my daily walk early yesterday morning before the scorching rays of the sun took hold of the day.
Since I don’t own any workout shorts, I donned my favorite pair of red shorts. They have become my favorite because at the beginning of the summer, they didn’t fit and now they do.
However, they are now too big for me. When I say too big, I mean, the waistband is now at my hips. I believe their next stop is my knees if I’m not diligent about pulling them up or wearing a belt.

This really hit home yesterday during my walk when I had to constantly attempt to maneuver my water bottle and phone holding hands to pull them up. I’m certain the oncoming traffic got a real chuckle out of this contortion. Thank goodness for sunglasses and pony tails so I could hide my identity!
The moment I returned home, it was all I could do to remove them.
After showering, I grabbed my second favorite pair of shorts. While the thick band of fabric that’s supposed to encircle your waist also kissed my hips, it was an improvement over their cherry-colored cousin. As I perused the pathetically few choices in my bureau drawer, I knew that I’d end up with the same result.
So what’s the scoop here? Why am I continuing to wear shorts (or other clothes) that are clearly too big? Simple.
When I wear them, they make me feel thinner than I actually am. They serve as a tiny reminder that I’m doing well with my weight loss. If I were to put on a pair of shorts or pants that actually fit me, I’d know that I’ve not yet attained my goal and there’s more work to do. In short, my “fat clothes” are providing me with a false sense of security.
Instead of keeping me focused on the last leg of this race, they tempt me to quit – to get the popcorn at the movies or that ice cream cone. I mean my clothes are falling off, why can’t I indulge?
As humans, we like to fool ourselves from time to time and pretend things are not as they are. Let’s face it, sometimes a dose of fantasy helps us deal with the harsh realities going on around us. But like most lies, eventually they’ll catch up to us and we do have to face the facts.
The truth is – my weight loss goal has not been attained and I have to push on. The truth is – I need to buy clothes that fit and celebrate the success I’ve had to date. But the big truth is – I have to let go of the person who couldn’t button those red shorts, who was dreading summer because there wasn’t an article of clothing that fit. I can’t step into my new self if I’m not willing to let go of my old self.
The same is true of my faith. I can’t step into all of the great blessings God has in store for me if

I’m holding on to the disappointments of the past. I can’t take hold of His plan for my life if I won’t let go of my plan. I can’t “put on the new self” (Ephesians 4:24) if I’m unwilling to shed the old self.
Letting go of what’s comfortable can be tough. We think we are safe, but this is a lie. Just like me believing I’m thinner than I am in my trusty red shorts, the enemy tries to lie to us to tell us things like “You’re not good enough,” or “God doesn’t love you,” or “You’ll never succeed.” When we listen and hold on to his voice instead of the voice of God, we are destined to never move forward and never become all that God wants us to be.
The truth is that Satan is a liar, the father of lies actually, as noted in John 8:44. His main purpose is to separate us from God and he will stop at nothing – nothing – to accomplish his goal. By keeping us in the past, he keeps us from seeing our future. He destroys our hope. He makes us question our faith.
But we can defeat him by not giving up and by keeping our focus on God and all of His promises. And let me tell you, there’s a lot! Check out these Bible verses for a peek into some of them.
This week, I’d like to encourage you to take off your fat clothes. Celebrate where you are today and be grateful for all you do have. Let go of past disappointments and failures and look forward to a bright future that God has in store for you.
A future that fits you perfectly!