Changing Priorities

"When our old priorities don't go with our new life, we either return to our old life or adopt new priorities."

I read this quote yesterday when I working on my Beth Moore "Esther" Bible study and it stopped me in my tracks. For a few moments, I shifted my focus from my study and just thought about that statement and how it applied to my own life.

My old priorities as they related to food and my health were WAY off. I was very much focused on instant gratification and only gave a passing nod to the idea that what I was putting in my mouth today could negatively impact me tomorrow. I was certainly aware of the dangers of obesity, but I always had VERY good intentions to "start being good tomorrow." I can't tell you how many "last suppers" I've had in my life as I tried to eat up all of the "bad food" before starting on the next sure-thing diet. I knew that exercise was important, and I could give a pretty good list of all of the reasons why, but there was never time to exercise today - but I'd promise myself that I'd get started tomorrow. My priorities were pretty much on the here and now, and "tomorrow" never showed up on my calendar. Every day was only "today."

To this day, it amazes me that God led me to the right program at the right time, knowing that I was finally - FINALLY - ready to make permanent changes in my life. I didn't even realize it at the time, and that the thought that I could really make permanent, positive changes seemed impossible.

However, June 24, 2007 was the beginning of what has truly been a life-changing journey, and, with God's help, I have made permanent changes in my life. I know I can never return to that old life, so I've been forced to adopt some new priorities. Many of these priorities flow out of my primary choice/ secondary choice philosophy (are you tired of hearing about this yet?).

Some of my priorities - my most important priorities - remain unchanged: my faith and my family. However, other priorities have been rearranged because being healthy is now one of my new, permanent priorities - a primary choice.

According to the statistics, 85% (or more) of people who lose weight end up gaining it all back, plus some, within two years. I can't help but wonder if many of these people return to their old, overweight life because they never changed their priorities.

Priorities don't automatically change. They only change as we choose to change them. It's never an easy task, but if we don't change our priorities to support our new, healthy life, sooner or later we'll find ourselves in a place we vowed we'd never see again.

Changing priorities happens one day at a time, one choice at a time. Are you making those choices today? I sure hope so!