Gain Victory over the Disorder Voice By Laurie Glass --------------------------- Text Copyright 2016 Laurie Glass All Rights Reserved No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the author. This e-book is not a substitute for professional help. It is not for the diagnosis or treatment of an eating disorder. All Scripture is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Table of Contents Introduction - The Author's Experience What is the Eating Disorder Voice? Prepare to Fight the Eating Disorder Voice - Four Things You Need to Know How to Battle the Eating Disorder Voice Celebrate Victory over the Eating Disorder Voice Endnotes About the Author
Introduction As I looked to my recovery with God at my side, he brought a vital verse to mind one that I would take literally, Romans 12:2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. I knew I had to change my thoughts in order to change my behavior. To arm myself with the truth, I wrote verses, words God had spoken to me, inspirational quotes, and other practical, truthful statements on note cards. This was exactly what I needed to squelch the lies of the enemy. Armed with the truth, I began fighting harder than I had ever fought before. I kept many note cards in my purse for easy access and taped some around my full-length mirror. When tempted to believe I was fat, I read what he'd said to me: You are beautiful in my sight. To combat my fear of weight gain, I turned to Psalm 34:4: I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. When concerned about body image, I reached for The Serenity Prayer. These truth-containing note cards were a great tool in my recovery. 1 I recovered from anorexia in 2003, and I've counseled and supported those with eating disorders ever since. In our many discussions about lies versus truths, the eating disorder voice has been mentioned repeatedly. Numerous people have benefited from replacing lies with the truth and developing their recovery voice. Now, I'm passing on to you what helped us to be victorious. I'd love to see YOU benefit from these biblical principles, too.
What is the Eating Disorder Voice? The eating disorder voice you probably already know what I m talking about. It s the tormenting voice that says you ll never recover, you need the eating disorder to cope, you must have the perfect body, and countless other lies. It's the voice that influences you to demean yourself, doubt what's true, and distrust God. It's the voice that heaps on guilt and shame, and it reminds you of mistakes and failures every chance it gets. It's a constant, critical, and convincing voice that ensnares you. The eating disorder voice likes to control your thoughts. Since the voice been there for a long time and is so familiar, you may not always recognize it and its destructive effects. In a later section, you'll find examples of the eating disorder voice and the voice of truth. They are there to help you both recognize the lies and replace them. For now, though, please remember two key things: Just because you believe something, that doesn't make it true. It may seem true, feel true, and you may act on it as if it's true, but none of that means it IS true. Your thoughts affect your emotions, and your emotions affect your behaviors, so it's vital to recognize the eating disorder voice and learn how to have victory over it.
Prepare to Fight the Eating Disorder Voice - Four Things You Need to Know Know Who the Enemy Is While you may know the source of some of the lies and negative thoughts you believe, please consider that there's more going on. This battle in your mind is also a spiritual battle. God wants you to break free from what holds you captive and live in victory. He longs for you to experience his love and power. He desires to heal and strengthen you. Conversely, Satan intends to stop all that. He wants to lie to, deceive, steal from, and ultimately destroy you. It's very easy to fall prey to his lies and deception. He may plant such notions in your mind and convince you that they're your own thoughts, or he may magnify the negative beliefs you already have. He may use any of those negative thoughts to convince you there's no hope for someone like you; you don't deserve a better life; no one wants to have a relationship with you; you're unlovable unless you're at a certain weight; or any number of other selfcondemning, self-destructive thoughts. 2 Remember that Satan is called the father of lies. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). That sure sounds like someone who is clever and masterful at what he does. Don't underestimate his role in the eating disorder voice. Peter knew what it was like to be caught off guard, and he warns others to be aware of the devil s ways and resist him. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings (1 Peter 5:8-9). Understand that the prowler is always watching and waiting to prey on anyone he can. As someone with an eating disorder, you're vulnerable. Nevertheless, in Christ, you have the power to resist him. 2
Know Where the Power Is You don't have to fight this battle alone. Recovering from an eating disorder is probably one of the hardest things you'll ever do. This process will take divine power, and if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you have that divine power. Look at Paul's description of it. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:10-17). It's important to understand your position in Christ to help you see that, in his power, you can recognize and reject the lies of the enemy. You have the power of Christ in you the power to be alert to the enemy s tactics, the power to resist him, the power to say no to what hurts you. Through Jesus death and resurrection, he was given authority over Satan. Paul declares that your Savior and Friend not only possesses this power, but that he shares it with you. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14). When you enter a personal relationship with Jesus, by his grace, you're seated with him in the heavenly realms and receive access to his authority and power. It's therefore in his strength that you resist the devil and fight your spiritual battles. In Ephesians, it says, But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7). There's no need to live in defeat. In him, you have all that you need. 2 In order to receive the strength you need to resist Satan s temptations, you must give yourself over to God, and he will protect you. James encouraged others to live out their faith. He gives
straightforward instruction stating how to handle temptation. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). 3 When you submit to God, think of him as your stronghold when you face temptation. David tells some of the ways in which God can be close and sustaining. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2). Your Father is strong, steady, and secure. No matter what distresses you, if you take refuge in him, he will deliver you from your agony. Certainly, as you find shelter in him, you'll find protection and power to face the enemy. 3 Invite God's power by saying this prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I struggle with constant negative thoughts about myself that just fuel the eating disorder. I try not to succumb to these lies, but I ve believed them and acted upon them for so long. I know I need to replace them with the truth. As you said in Romans 12, one will be transformed by the renewing of the mind. That s what I want. Transformation. Please help me recognize the lies, redirect my thoughts, and recall the truth and use it to replace the lies. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 4 Watch this short video to help you stay FOCUSED on his power. Know This Process Will Take Patience and Perseverance Fighting the eating disorder voice is a process that will take time. This journey will require patience and perseverance. Patience: be gentle with yourself. The eating disorder developed over time, and it's made up of a combination of factors that are intertwined and challenging to untangle. There are several pieces you'll need to work on. It will take a while, and it's important that you allow yourself the patience you need. This is no time to beat yourself up. If you do, you'll just fuel the eating disorder voice, and this is no time for self-sabotage. It's a season for healing. Perseverance: this won't be easy. You'll have to use the principles in this e-book repeatedly. The lies won't go down without a fight. There will be times you may want to quit and give in to the
eating disorder because it's familiar. But this is a time to commit to your recovery like you never have before. The bottom line is that you won t win by giving up. To help you keep a steady stance, consider the truth in Psalm 62:2, "He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. He is your solid foundation, strong, steady, and secure. Focus on that, and let it truly sink in. It's only natural that a challenge may rattle you. You're human, and you're going to trip over some bumps in the road. That's okay. But also know that you can get back up, learn from the experience, grow stronger, and overcome the next obstacle. Try to remember who is there to help you, plant your feet in his strength, and you won't have to be shaken. Each success will help you face and conquer the next challenge. Turn to this short video to remind you about the TENACITY you need. Know This Is a VITAL Key, But Not the ONLY Key for Recovery In order to change the course of your recovery, it's vital to change your thoughts, but that's only one part of your journey. There are many others, including but not limited to, medical supervision, appropriate nutrition, and assistance to work through underlying issues. Get the best help available to you and make the most of any help and support you have. You may not have the option to assemble an ideal treatment team, depending on finances, insurance, and what s available in your area. But you can make the most of any help at your disposal. And you can use the principles in this e-book to support other areas in your recovery. In addition to the principles in this e-book, there is even more on this topic in the Change Your Thoughts lesson in the Christian Eating Disorder Recovery Course. There are also many other lessons that you might find helpful.
How to Battle the Eating Disorder Voice Make the Choice You can choose to fuel the eating disorder voice or you can choose to fuel the truth. This is a choice you will make a zillion times during the recovery process. Some days you may get sick of it and just want to quit, reasoning that it's too hard and it won't work anyway. When those thoughts come, recognize they're the voice of the enemy, and keep fighting with the strength of the Lord empowering you to take the next step. Ultimately, you will trust someone with each decision you make. When you engage in a foodrelated behavior, you trust that the eating disorder will give you something you re seeking, whether that s control, comfort, or something else. In other words, you trust the eating disorder voice, the enemy. When you say no to the food-related behavior and redirect your thoughts to the truth, you trust that God can meet whatever need you would otherwise try to fill with the eating disorder. Each time you face the decision to engage or not engage in a destructive behavior, you will choose who you will trust. With that said, remember that it will take time to recognize lies; replace them with the truth; address underlying issues; heal from inner pain; and manage the many other pieces of recovery. This means you may get discouraged, give in, or be caught off guard. You might even relapse or give up. All of these things are NORMAL, and they are not worth beating yourself up over. Learn from these experiences, but don t let them define your recovery. The eating disorder voice wants you to give up more than anything. Don t let it have its way. Do what you need to do to keep fighting and find your way to victory. Don t let that voice rob you of the better life God has waiting for you.
Act on the Choice Learn to pay attention to your thoughts. That might sound strange since it may feel like the eating disorder constantly shouts at you so you have no choice but to hear it. But here's something to consider. Some of the eating disorder voice's comments may be obvious, such as: you have to do whatever is necessary to have the perfect body; if you eat less, you ll be in control; if you turn to food, you ll find comfort. Sometimes, though, the eating disorder voice is more subtle. You may not even see the connection between certain thoughts and the eating disorder. Rather than taunting comments directly related to appearance, food-related behaviors, or recovery, they may center on things like your identity, decisions, or life experiences. They may be something like: you're useless; you'll never amount to anything; you're damaged and unlovable. You may have referred to these thoughts as self-talk. Please know that Satan can camp on those thoughts, too, and use them to draw you to the eating disorder. Learn to recognize these lies. Paul calls this taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We demolish arguments and every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Examine a thought when it comes, and then, consider how to replace it. You can use this passage as a filter for new thoughts: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things (Philippians 4:8). Be honest with yourself and consider where your thoughts are leading you. Are they ushering you toward freedom, or are they drawing you deeper into the eating disorder? 5 When the eating disorder voice spews out a lie, stop it in its tracks, and replace it with the truth. The truth can become a new voice, your recovery voice. Fuel it, and use it as much as you can. Talk back to the eating disorder. Tell it, Here is my God! No matter how big you become, he will always be bigger. No matter what you promise me, his promises are greater. No matter how much you seek to destroy me, he's here to restore me. 6
To help you recognize the lies so you can start developing your recovery voice, answer the following questions and go from there. What do I believe about myself? What do I believe about recovery? Do I believe there is a better life waiting for me? 7 There are also examples on the next page to help you learn to recognize the lies as well as suggestions for how you can replace them with the truth. While you may not have these exact thoughts, you can probably relate to the essence of many of them. Refer to this list often. Let it help you redirect your thoughts. (Some of the material is from See Yourself through God's Eyes Inside and Out, a lesson in the Christian Eating Disorder Recovery Course. 8 ) You can also print out the blank table provided on page 13 to list your own unique troublesome thoughts as well as Bible verses and truthful statements to replace them.
Eating Disorder Voice I can't do anything right. I'm ugly. I've messed up so badly in my life that there's no hope for me. I don't feel accepted by others, so there must be something wrong with me. I've been violated, so I'll always be damaged and unworthy of anyone's love. I don t dare feel my feelings. Who am I without the eating disorder? It's a part of me. I must always tear myself down. I'm not worthy of anything better. I'll never recover. I have to have the eating disorder. It s my way to cope. Emotions aren t important. I should ignore and hide them. I'll never be good enough for God to love me. Recovery Voice God will help me if I let him. I was created in God's image with unique gifts. I'm beautiful in his sight. I'm never beyond God's reach. No matter what I've done, he has enough love, grace, and mercy if I'll receive it from him. God not only accepts me, but he loves me without condition. Others' opinions don't define me. What has happened to me doesn't define me. I'm still the same beautiful person inside who God created. He can heal my heart, and he will always love me no matter what happens to me. It will be helpful for me to learn healthy ways to process my feelings. I am more than the eating disorder. It can't speak of the real me. I am better off without it in my life. In its absence, I'll be able to see the true me. God deserves better than that from me. As a child of the Most High God, I'll appreciate his creation instead of degrading it. My worthiness lies in what he says about me, not in what I think of myself. God can help me if I am willing to do the work of recovery and allow him to help me in the process. I can heal from what drives me to the eating disorder and learn healthy ways to cope so I will no longer need it in my life. My emotions are valid. If I learn to manage them better, I can break free of their negative effects. God is a God of love, and he will always love me the same no matter what I do. Even when he doesn't love what I do, he will love who I am.
Eating Disorder Voice Recovery Voice
Now you can take it a step farther and write the truths of your recovery voice on note cards so they're readily accessible. You may also want to add the note cards (with quotes and verses), available at Freedom from Eating Disorders, to your collection. They can be a handy tool to grab when you want to, both physically and figuratively, reach for the truth and use it to speak in your recovery voice. For more encouragement and inspiration to build your recovery voice, check out Freedom from Eating Disorders at Facebook and Pinterest. What if you don t believe the truth? You may think these principles and suggestions are all fine and good, but what if you don't believe the truth? Please remember this: the truth is the truth whether or not you believe it. It's always at your disposal, there for you to embrace whenever you're ready. Read it, pray about it, focus on it, and remember the genuine source of the truth. You will probably need to go deeper. Once you can get to the root of what you believe, doing so should help you recognize the lies. As you see them for what they are, then you have a better chance to believe what s true. Among other things, the Change Your Thoughts lesson in the Christian Eating Disorder Recovery Course contains material and a detailed homework assignment designed to help you dig in and identify the source of your thoughts.
Celebrate Victory over the Eating Disorder Voice Make the most of every victory. Keep a list of your positive steps in recovery, including the times you're victorious over the eating disorder voice. Refer to that list when you need a lift or a reminder of how far you've come. Keep in mind that thoughts affect emotions, and emotions affect behaviors, so changing your thoughts is an important part of recovery. Consider how it might change your emotions and behavior if you focus on how even baby steps add up to a journey instead of listening to the lie that recovery isn't possible. If you're able to accept your appearance instead of believing you're ugly, think of the difference that may make in your recovery. If you believe the truth instead of the lies, imagine how your life might be different. 5 Developing your recovery voice to fight the eating disorder voice is vital. When you experience the benefits, you won't regret your hard work. Paul said in Romans 12:2 that "renewing the mind" will bring transformation. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. Imagine living a transformed life, a life where you: Act according to the truth instead of lies Aren't buried in guilt and shame Believe what God says about you Can eat without fear or guilt Process your emotions in healthy ways Can enjoy and experience life in a new way An eating disorder can be all consuming, but it doesn't have to be that way. Start today by taking one step toward building your recovery voice to fight the eating disorder voice. With the Lord's strength, that's a fight you can win!
Endnotes 1 Laurie Glass, A Picture of His Grace - My Anorexia Recovery Story, 2016. 2 Laurie Glass, Christian Eating Disorder Recovery Course, Change Your Thoughts, 2015. 3 Laurie Glass, Journey to Freedom from Eating Disorders, 2010. 4 Laurie Glass, Inspiration for Eating Disorder Recovery, 2015. 5 Laurie Glass, Bible Verses for Eating Disorder Recovery, 2014. 6 Laurie Glass, Quotes for Eating Disorder Recovery, 2015. 7 Laurie Glass, Journaling in Eating Disorder Recovery, 2015. 8 Laurie Glass, Christian Eating Disorder Recovery Course, See Yourself through God's Eyes Inside and Out, 2015.
About the Author Laurie Glass has a Master's Degree in Christian Counseling. She recovered from anorexia in 2003 and has counseled and supported others with eating disorders ever since. She understands the ups and downs of the recovery process. Based on what she has learned and experienced, she is passionate about creating resources to help others find freedom from their own eating disorders. These include: Christian Eating Disorder Recovery Course Eating Disorder Recovery Note Cards Journey to Freedom from Eating Disorders Bible Verses for Eating Disorder Recovery Quotes for Eating Disorder Recovery Inspiration for Eating Disorder Recovery Journaling in Eating Disorder Recovery A Picture of His Grace - My Anorexia Recovery Story In addition to these writings, she has also had several poems and articles published in both print and online publications. In addition, she was quoted in the April 2012 issue of Women's Health Magazine in an article entitled The Scary Rise of Adult Eating Disorders. To find out more about Laurie and what she has to offer, visit Freedom from Eating Disorders. There s a lot there, so Laurie encourages people to visit often and find what speaks to them for the day. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for her free monthly newsletter. For encouragement and inspiration for your recovery, you can connect with Laurie on Facebook and follow her on Pinterest. You can also subscribe to her YouTube and GodTube channels.