When we suffer a loss (such as the death of someone we love), we often go through a grieving process: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

To use a less gloomy example, when we grieve about being overweight and out of shape, we also go through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

We start by denying that we are overweight and out of shape. What’s wrong with these scales? Why am I out of breath going up these stairs?

Then we get angry that we are so overweight and out of shape.

We are angry at the way food companies market their snacks and soft drinks so effectively that we can’t resist eating and drinking them.

We are angry at the way restaurants market their food and drinks so effectively that we can’t resist eating and drinking too much.

We are angry at ourselves for the ways our bad eating and drinking habits make us so overweight.

We are angry at the ways we get so busy at work and at home that we don’t have time to workout.

We are angry at ourselves for the ways our bad lifestyle habits make us so out of shape.

Unfortunately, merely getting angry doesn’t solve the problem. We must transform anger into actions. Less eating. More exercising.

We start bargaining. How much less should we eat? What should we eat and drink? How much more should we workout? What exercises should we do?

If we eat broccoli soaked in butter, can we have chocolate cake for dessert?

If we workout today, can we skip cycling tomorrow?

If we eat healthy foods and drinks on “normal” days, can we eat unhealthy foods and drinks on happy and sad days when we need “comfort foods”?

If we eat healthy foods and drinks on “normal” days, can we eat unhealthy foods and drinks when we’re celebrating events such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and weddings?

If we eat healthy foods and drinks on “normal” days, can we eat unhealthy foods and drinks on holidays such as Super Sunday, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day Weekend, Fourth of July Weekend, Labor Day Weekend, and “The Holiday Season” stretching from Halloween to New Year’s Day?

When asked by a doctor what we eat and drink, we tell her about all the good ways we “normally” eat and drink, but conveniently ignore the inconvenient truths about all the bad ways we eat and drink.

No wonder we get discouraged and depressed. As my father would say (while scooping another handful of M&Ms into his mouth): “I don’t understand why I don’t lose any weight!”.

It takes discernment and wisdom to accept the sweeping, permanent changes that we must make in our bad habits. But such acceptance is the only way to take weight off and keep it off. It’s the only way to get into shape and stay in shape.

Ending injustice is like losing weight. Establishing justice is like getting into shape. We must accept sweeping, permanent changes in ourselves and in our civilization. It’s the only way to end injustice and establish justice.

As strange as it may seem, it makes sense that many people go though a grieving process when injustices die and justice is established. All too often, we love injustices because they increase our power and our wealth. All too often, we hate the loss of our power and our wealth from establishing justice.

It is hard to love others so much that we are willing to do to others what we want done to us—by ending injustices. It is hard to love others so much that we are willing to do for others what we want done for us—by establishing justice. (Matthew 7:12-14; Leviticus 19:18; Luke 10:25-37).

And so, as embarrassing as it is to confess, we often grieve the very changes that we must make in ourselves—and in our civilization—to end injustice and establish justice.

Old ways must die—in ourselves and in our civilization. (Romans 6:2,6-7,12-14,17-18; Colossians 3:5)

New ways must be born—in ourselves and in our civilization. (John 3:1-8,19-21).

First, we must die to denials.

To lose weight we must stop denying that we enjoy eating and drinking bad things. To get into shape, we must stop denying that we prefer resting to sweating.

To end injustices, we must stop denying that we enjoy “eating” and “drinking” injustices that increase our power and our wealth.

To establish justice, we must stop denying that we prefer “resting” to “sweating”.

After we stop our denials, we must get angry.

We must get angry at the unjust ways of ourselves and of our civilization.

We must get angry at politicians who do so little to end unjust ways. We must get angry at politicians who do so little to empower new ways for establishing justice.

We must get angry at our civilization for doing so little to end unjust ways. We must get angry at our civilization for doing so little to empower new ways for establishing justice.

We must get angry at ourselves for doing so little to end unjust ways. We must get angry at ourselves for doing so little to empower new ways for establishing justice.

Unfortunately, merely getting angry is not enough. Indeed, venting our anger (but doing nothing about it) will establish our hypocrisy instead of ending injustices and establishing justice. (James 2:14-17).

We must transform anger into action. Less injustice. More justice.

To do something, we start bargaining.  But once again, merely bargaining is not enough. If we spend our time “bargaining” (but achieve nothing from the “bargain”), it will establish our hypocrisy instead of ending injustices and establishing justice.

Justice delayed becomes justice denied.

No wonder we get depressed—whether failing to lose weight and stay in shape, or whether failing to end injustices and establish justice. (Romans 7:15,18-19).

To overcome hypocrisy and depression, we must confess the truth—we must accept the truth.

Our bad eating and drinking habits must die—even though we love eating and drinking bad things.

Our sedentary habits must die—even though we love doing nothing.

Our unjust ways must die—even though we love how they increase our power and our wealth.

Ending the unjust ways of ourselves and of our civilization means accepting the need for dieting—for fasting—in the Way of Jesus that is pleasing to the LORD God. (John 4:14,23-24,34; 6:27-29,35; 7:37-39).

What kind of fasting must we accept? The LORD God says,

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (Isaiah 58:6-7).

In addition to fasting to end injustices, we must exercise discernment and wisdom to establish justice in ourselves and in our civilization. (John 4:14,23-24,34; 6:27-29,35; 7:37-39).

As the Prophet Amos said, “[L]et justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.” (Amos 5:24).

What kind of justice must we establish throughout our civilization?

“This is what the LORD Almighty [says]: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor.’” (Zechariah 7:9-10).

What is the result of such fasting and exercising—of ending injustices and establishing justice?

If we accept the need for ourselves and our civilization to fast from injustice and to exercise justice, the results will be far more dramatic than those before and after photos of people in weight loss and workout programs.

When we fast and exercise in the Way of the LORD God—in the Way of Jesus:

“Then [our] light will break forth like the dawn, and [our] healing will quickly appear;

then [our] righteousness will go before [us], and the glory of the LORD will be [our] rear guard.

Then [we] will call, and the LORD will answer; [we] will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. . . . .

[T]hen [we] will find [our] joy in the LORD, and [he] will cause [us] to ride in triumph . . ..” (Isaiah 58:8-9,14).

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I posted this blog on January 2, 2020, a time of year when we are full of New Year’s Resolutions for eating less and working out more.  Similarly, when Peter was hungry, he had a vision about eating that convinced him to welcome non-Jews into his life and into the life of the Church. (Acts 10:9-35).

To learn how to end injustices and establish justice in order to come with Joy and Peace for all Humanity, please read my books Visions of America and Visions of the Church (published in one volume).

To learn how to light all Humanity with your good deeds—ending injustices and establishing justice, not by power nor by might, but by the Holy Spirit, please read my book Lighting the World.