I get a variety of questions from people looking for a little guidance and it’s my joy to try and respond to as many as possible. I actually find I hear most clearly from the Lord as I am freely typing in response to a personal battle that someone is fighting. I am a relentless encourager at heart.
I wanted to share the following that came to me and what I know to be the Holy Spirit talking through me, to help the many of you who feel the same way. (Permission was granted to share this following question with you.)
QUESTION: I have an “apron” on my lower stomach. A flap so to speak that hangs above my pubic area. Weight gain and loss coupled with 4 c-sections…. are there any exercises that would target that?
ANSWER:Wow! This is the second question today that I got on extra skin hang from weight loss. First off, you know you are not your body. Right? And I get how the enemy would try to taunt you with that skin as you feel it moving around or touching other parts of your body. The enemy likes to twist our God given physical senses (sight, sounds, taste, touch, and smell) for his evil purposes. The adversary of our souls has an uncanny way of trying to bully us into believing we should be better and shame is part of his game.
Unfortunately, when it is loose skin, there is not much you can do. It has no muscle tone to it at all so it acts much like a wet noodle. Nothing will firm it up because it has nothing to respond to training with. It’s just skin. It’s like trying to train your earlobe.
First I encourage you to appropriately grieve the loss of what was done to you. Just let Jesus have the effects. Your body suffered some damage from the stress. It wasn’t meant to do that in God’s original design for us. But it does. So you have a right to feel the loss. BUT!! God will put you back on your feet and establish you.
Second, you will rise and your skin is now just part of your beauty from ashes story. He uses wounds and scars effectively on earth. People can relate to our wounds. He counts you worthy of this wound. So head up. Be free! It is what it is. And when they enemy tries to taunt you with that skin as it loosely moves and hangs about….tell him to go to where he came from.You are not your body. You are a container of Gods glory. He has a great ministry developing in you, through this. Don’t miss it by getting distracted by some loose skin. You’re too valuable in the Kingdom to get tied up with that small stuff.
Revival in the Kingdom (which I live, breathe and ache to see) is going to require our resistance to conform to what the world says we should be. The Kingdom of God isn’t inviting you to be a part of a rebellion, but a revolution – a love revolution.
And on a practical note…some insurance companies will support skin removal surgery if it is causing chaffing, pain and discomfort, due to high amount of weight-loss. It becomes more of a medical need than an aesthetic need. I hope that helps.
What body part bullies you?
How do you respond to those accusations?
What’s your role in the Kingdom of God?
2 Responses
Thank you for writing this, you are a light in a dark space and the ministry truly makes a difference.
My thighs have always bullied me…it is a daily struggle. However, a month ago I learned to paddleboard. It was a great revelation, that without those strong, thick thighs I might not have had the strength accomplish this activity. I realized as I was out on the water, that I am a champion! I have overcome cancer, transverse mylitis (a a nerve disorder that nearly paralyzed me) and that such a silly lie of the enemy wasn’t gonna keep me from doing the things I love!