The Lord started dealing with me last year regarding my eating. I listened ... and the Lord told me that I needed to stop drinking soda. So I did. I gave up Coca-Cola ... as much as I love it. Even though McDonalds would sell me a large for just a buck. I quit drinking it.
Then the enemy came knocking on my door and he told me that I could have Coca-Cola in moderation. A small cup would not hurt. No ... a small wasn't anything. Not even if I just drank one small Coca-Cola a day. It wouldn't hurt anything and I was still being obedient because I wasn't drinking that large monstrosity that I would pick up most every morning on my way to church. At least that is what he said and that is what I told myself.
Well ... that small cup led me back to getting that large again. Why pay one dollar for a small when you can get a large for the same price? That was just bad economics! I was wasting the money God gave me. I needed to buy the large. And ... of course ... I was back drinking Coca-Cola every single day. Drank it so much that I got me a subscription to Seventeen and Fitness with my coke rewards.
But, what about God? What about what He was saying to me about my eating habits? My body is His temple and I put into it whatever I please and have done so for years. I sit for hours in front of this computer and do mindless things. I don't read the Bible like I should. I don't study it like I used to. I play games. I Facebook. I Twitter. I can come up with a million things on my computer to keep me busy.
The question is ... how much good is all that stuff doing me? Does it aid me spiritually? Does it increase my emotional well-being? Does it help me physically?
That really hit home for me today when I read iMonk's latest post ...
But you see...it was there, so I ate it.
What's "there?" "There" is "available to the senses." "There" is "present now to satisfy me now." "There" is real, not imaginary.
It was "There," so I ate it. It didn't even take a snake to talk me into it.
Actually, to tell the truth, a lot of us spend our lives looking for whatever is "there" so we can "eat it." It's so much easier than the risks of walking a different path. It's so much more familiar and predictable and secure than the risks of faith. It's safe, and the "belly" says "This is what you want. Trust me on that one."
We're a collection of appetites, and none of them- not security, food, sex, significance, glory, safety, money, pleasure, amusement- are God. None of them are reliable guides to the way of a disciple of Jesus.
So ... I have stepped up to the "plate" so to speak and have started the course The Lord's Table. It is a 60 day course that teaches you to enjoy a newfound relationship with the Lord and how to find freedom from bad eating habits. I definitely have some bad eating habits ... exercise habits ... how I spend my free time habits. I think it will do me some good.
I am also writing down everything I eat. It is a bit of a challenge to mindlessly eat when I am recording every bite I put into my mouth. Hubby is joining in too ... at least on the food journal and he actually did some cardio last night. I am not pushing ... but I am definitely encouraging him. I want him around for a long, long time. :)
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