If you count yourself as a Christian than the best answer has already been given, pray. I wish it were as simple as it sounds. I went to seminary. I should know the answers right? I don't. For me weight loss is something God wants me to accomplish. For my own health, for my own happiness, so I can see my kids grow old, and so I can fulfill the purposes He has created me for.
On a tangential note, there are many biases against people who are overweight. These are well documented throughout academic literature. The one that was the funniest, in a deeply disturbing way, is that over weight people hold a stronger bias against other overweight people. Now how does that make sense?
Trying to discern God's will by measuring the obstacles in front of you is always difficult. There are plenty of stories in the bible where people had to over come great obstacles to achieve what God had told them to do. (See David, Joshua, Joseph, and Paul, just to name a few). Paul on his way to Rome was imprisoned, shipwrecked, and then bitten by a poisons snake after swimming to shore from the shipwreck. Had that been me I probably would have thought God was telling me not to go to Rome and ran so fast it would have made people’s head spin. Fortunately, Paul was a far better man than I. If they had quit simply because there were things standing in their way they never would have fulfilled their obligation to God. But, there are also plenty of stories of those who found something in their path Balaam, Paul just to name a few. They believed God had put it there so they turned aside, went in another direction. My best advice then.... Pray, Pray and pray some more. It has taken me years to be able to get here and finally make this decision. I still have not been approved by the insurance so I am early in the process. But, I believe/am ashamed to admit it has come to surgery as my only option. I have tried weight loss every other way. Sometimes I lose weight but I always gain it back. If nothing else this journey that I am on has already taught me so much. I deal with stress poorly. Life is full of stress. If we do not find a way to deal with it without eating or turning to another addictions we are bound to a life of bondage. But, if I can loose the weight, with the help of a VSG, then I can at least have one more tool to help me learn to deal with stress in a better fashion.
That was kind of all over the place, and a bit soap boxy, but hopefully there was at least enough coherence for me to share my own story. Best of luck.
CR
