I never thought I’d be saying that my lessons learned from Covid-19 and an eating disorder are similar. But similar they are. I had no problem coming up with a list . . .
Lessons I Have Learned Because of Covid-19:
I will think for myself rather than accepting everything I hear from every source.
I will not do illogical things simply because I am following “rules” that don’t make logical sense.
I will work very hard to not judge others for their choices.
I will not allow myself to feel judged by others.
I will not allow fear to rule my life so that I cower in isolation, forgetting that my God is in control.
I will respect the parameters set while knowing what is best for my own circumstances and beliefs and for those around me.
I will respect and mourn the lives lost while praising God for all of the living who prove that God created our bodies to fight for health.
I will celebrate those who work hard to bring each person to their own healthy life again while sacrificing their own time and love.
I will not watch the media to be fed bias and comparison that creates fear in my heart.
Now, may I share . . .
Lessons I Learned While Fighting my Eating Disorder:
I will think for myself rather than accepting everything I hear from every source.
I will not do illogical things simply because I am following “rules” that don’t make logical sense.
I will work very hard to not judge others for their choices.
I will not allow myself to feel judged by others.
I will not allow fear to rule my life so that I cower in isolation, forgetting that my God is in control.
I will respect the parameters set while knowing what is best for my own circumstances and beliefs and for those around me.
I will respect and mourn the lives lost while praising God for all of the living who prove that God created our bodies to fight for health.
I will celebrate those who work hard to bring each person to their own healthy life again while sacrificing their own time and love.
I will not watch the media to be fed bias and comparison that creates fear in my heart.
Different, But Similar
I’ve made comparison between Covid-19 and my eating disorder before. You can read my lessons learned from Covid-19 and an eating disorder in these two previous posts:
Intentional Living During Covid-19
Choice Taken Away Because of Covid-19
The similarities continue to spark in my brain and then in my heart. No, Covid-19 and an eating disorder are not the same disease. But what is undeniably the same is that God is in control, not me. He overrides fear and settles my heart, even in the face of the unknown.
Why I Can Compare the Two
I didn’t know when I would finally be “recovered” from my ED, and I don’t know when this Covid-19 pandemic will be considered over.
But this is what I do know. Both thrive on fear. Both cling to illogical thinking and rules that don’t make sense. Both isolate, judge, and create divisiveness. Both can take lives, but even more, both are recoverable. And too often we focus on the death more than the life.
I will never diminish the pain or the loss. Never. But hope must always reign over our hearts and rule our actions. We live forward. We fight for forward, no matter the hopelessness we see behind. Focus on life because life is worth living. Not in fear, but in freedom knowing God has control.
We get to let go of our false sense of control, and trust God to be God. That doesn’t mean we don’t work. It doesn’t mean we don’t take precautions to guard our weaknesses. It doesn’t mean we don’t fight alongside our God. He has made us more than conquerors, after all.
It’s time we live like one rather than as a mindless follower, willing to let another force make illogical decisions for us and feed fear into our hearts.
It’s time to let go of our desire to be in control, and live in the competent hands of the Creator of life.
