​Don’t Leave Out Supplication

One year ago I was slightly underweight at about 106 pounds.  Today I cannot comfortably fit in most of my clothes and really don’t want to know what the scales would say.  Last weighing in November, I was up to 123.  I have likely gained ten pounds from then to now in late February.
I have increased my physical exercise 100% in the last year.  A year ago I wasn’t able to do much at all.  Though my physical exertion ability isn’t where I would like it to be, I will take all the wonderful progress God gives me. 
I have cut down on my caloric intake these past couple of months in which I have packed on the butterball weight.  My weight gain may seem trivial to some, but to me it is serious.  Everything inside me feels so tight like I am about to burst from the inside out! 
As I waited for the computer to come on to type this, I noticed my reflection on the black screen.  Ugghhh! I have a double chin and face of fat combined with swelling that I don’t even look like me.  I realize something funky is going on with my body—with hormones, metabolism, and who knows what else, but I know regardless of the cause that I must tackle this weight gain by reducing my intake and increasing my burn.  So, that I have done and continue to do.
It dawned on me this morning that I haven’t petitioned God for help in this problem.  I thank God everyday for rest, strength, productivity, and health, and I ask Him to increase all these so that I may better serve in His ministry.  And I try to be the very best steward of all these.  But I haven’t petitioned God, as we are instructed in Philippians 4:6.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
It seems trivial that I left out the petition (supplication) part.  However, it isn’t trivial when we are clearly instructed to make our requests be made known to God.  He already knows our needs, He sees our efforts, He hears our praises to Him, but it is also very important to request His blessing very specifically for our needs we clearly see.  Once we have coupled prayer of thanksgiving and faith with supplication and we are doing our part, such as in my case, exercising and reducing caloric intake, then we leave the results up to God, knowing that He hears us and trusting that He is helping us. 
I pray that each of us will always know, trust, and follow God’s leadership as He prepares us for the journey ahead.