A young girl stands in front of a mirror. She is 70 pounds, skin and bones, and near death from starvation. “Kristi, what do you see?” a counselor asks.
Her response: “I see a fat girl.”
When our view of ourselves becomes distorted by sin, negative thought patterns and behaviors arise. Nancy Alcorn, founder of Mercy Ministries, explore the journey of healing from eating disorders and how to support those around us who wrestle with feeling accepted by God.
- There are many triggers that can lead to an eating disorder. Nancy lists some of them:
- Stress at school – increased homework load, drama with friends, a busy extra-curricular schedule
- Trouble at home – divorce, the death of a parent
- A bad break-up
- Hormonal changes
- Sexual abuse – In her time at Mercy Ministries, Nancy and her colleagues have found strong links between childhood sexual trauma and the development of bulimia or anorexia.
Much of this can be traced back to a need for control. At the start of the journey, a person controls their food intake to get a handle on something simple and concrete. By the end, the food is controlling them.
The powerful truth is that freedom and normalcy is possible. Mercy Ministries leads men and women to see themselves as temples for the Holy Spirit, as chosen and deeply loved by God, and as beautiful in God’s eyes. They use Romans 12 as an anchor for the healing:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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.”
Find more resources and information on eating disorders, including how to support a loved one who is struggling. Take heart, as Nancy says. “Jesus is in the business of setting people free.”
