48 Case Studies 08: When Thin Is In

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Mable is consumed with her appearance, weight, and food choices. She frequently fasts, not out of a heartfelt desire to glorify God with her body or soul, but as a means to control her image and find approval. Contradictions mark her conversations—she often projects self-righteousness in her discipline yet also reveals deep insecurity through her comparisons to others.

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Though Mable claims her actions are part of her pursuit of God, her behaviors suggest misplaced priorities and underlying idolatries. She seems to tie identity and value to more external appearances and self-control rather than to her standing as a child of God. These patterns have left her struggling with dissatisfaction, fear, and an inability to rest in God’s provision and love.

Mable’s interactions with others often revolve around her achievements in dieting and self-discipline; she subtly uses these tactics to gain approval from or superiority over others. Yet, her self-critical thoughts and comparisons reveal the exhausting burden she carries in seeking peer affirmation through fleeting and superficial means. She longs for a true sense of purpose and value but has misplaced her pursuit of controlling what she can see rather than trusting in God’s unchanging grace. Exhausted, she finally gives in and comes to you for counseling, hoping to break the cycle of self-love.

Case Study Questions

1. What is Mable’s core heart issue, and why do you believe this?
2. What aspects of the gospel is she missing, and how would you present them?
3. What questions would you ask to uncover deeper motivations behind her behaviors?
4. Prioritize her idols (self-righteousness, control, comfort, guilt, and fear) and explain why you ordered them that way.

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).