I know firsthand how isolating and overwhelming it can be to struggle with an eating disorder. It can feel like you’re trapped in your own thoughts and feelings, unable to break free from the cycle of guilt and shame that surrounds food and body image. But one thing that has helped me on my journey to recovery is learning how to start praying about my eating disorder.
Prayer has been a powerful tool in my recovery, helping me to find strength, hope, and peace in the midst of my struggles. Here are some tips that have helped me to pray about my eating disorder:
- Be honest with God: It can be tempting to try to hide our struggles from God, or to pretend that everything is okay when it’s not. But the truth is that God already knows what we’re going through, and He wants us to come to Him with our honest thoughts and feelings. When we are praying, we can be real with God about our fears, doubts, and struggles, and ask for His help and guidance.
- Ask for wisdom: Recovery from an eating disorder is complex and multi-faceted, and it can be difficult to know where to start. When we’re praying, we can ask God for wisdom and discernment, and for guidance on what steps to take next. We can trust that He will lead us in the right direction and provide the support and resources we need.
- Pray for healing: Healing from an eating disorder is a process, and it requires physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. When we pray, we can ask God to heal our bodies, minds, and hearts, and to restore us to wholeness. We can also pray for others who are struggling with eating disorders, that they may find hope and healing as well.
- Claim God’s promises: Throughout the Bible, God makes promises to His people of love, grace, and redemption. When we pray, we can claim these promises for ourselves and remind ourselves of the truth of who we are in Christ. For example, we can pray for the courage to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) and for the strength to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
- Surrender control: One of the biggest challenges of recovery from an eating disorder is letting go of the need for control. When we pray, we can surrender our desire for control to God and ask Him to take the reins. We can trust that He is in control and that He has a plan for our lives, even when we can’t see it.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
– Matthew 11:28
Prayer has been a lifeline for me in my recovery from an eating disorder, and I know it can be a powerful tool for others who are struggling as well. When we pray, we open ourselves up to God’s love, grace, and power, and we allow Him to work in us and through us in ways we never could on our own. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, I encourage you to take some time to pray, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. Know that God hears your prayers, and that He is with you every step of the way.
For any questions about prayer, faith, or the Bible, refer to Got Questions, a website dedicated to answering faith related questions. Furthermore, for more information about incorporating faith into eating disorder recovery, check out my post “Freedom in Faith“, which discusses my experience with faith and recovery and how I believe you can experience the same transformation.