“All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.” (Desire of Ages, p. 668)

Everyone who grew up Adventist remembers this classic quotation of Ellen White’s. Even though this was written in the context of spirituality, I believe this principle can be very nicely adapted to diabetic nutrition and lifestyle. The first key is “if we consent.” That means we have to allow this thing to happen. Informed consent in medicine is consent given by a person who has a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications, and future consequences of an action. (Wikipedia) “Consent” in diabetic health requires that you become informed about the consequences of not managing or controlling your blood sugar and resulting insulin levels. It also requires that you become informed of how you can reverse or prevent type 2 diabetes through dietary intervention and lifestyle changes (exercise, sunlight, sleep, etc.)

“He/Him,” as Ellen White wrote it pertaining to spiritual growth, obviously refers to the Christ that Christians believe in. If you believe in a god with a different name (Allah, Jehovah, Great Spirit, etc.), this principle will still work. Or if you believe in no god other than science and human intelligence, it works as well. But the key words in this phrase are “thoughts and aims.” In other words, goals and objectives pertaining to your diabetic health. See Set Your Goals, Create Your Plan if you’ve forgotten what that means.

“Blend our hearts and minds” indicates that both emotional and intellectual aspects are needed to be “in conformity” to an effective diabetes dietary protocol and lifestyle.

Finally—and please forgive me if this offends you—I would like to paraphrase: “…that when obeying The 8 Laws of Health, we shall be but carrying out our own impulses.” Does this mean that I can have natural “impulses” to want to walk every day, or to eat Ezekiel 4:9® Bread or [you name the diabetic-friendly food], or to go to bed on time? “Through an appreciation of the character of [whoever your god is], through [community] with [other Adventist Vegetarian Diabetics™], [sugar, vegetable/seed oils, and whatever else causes your blood sugars to raise out of the normal range] will become hateful to us.”

Wow! I want to “consent.” Let’s Get Started!