Food & God (Part 2)

To catch up on Part 1 from Wednesday, click here.

Lets see, where did I leave off...oh, yes...what does this have to do with food and my unhealthy relationship with it?  Easy, two things actually:

1) You can't simply cut food out of your life.  Its impossible.  You'll die.  Plain and simple.  Our bodies need fuel to operate.  You can cut out nicotine, alcohol and even cute boys leading nowhere, but you can't cut out food.  That makes it really challenging when moderation, control, and willpower aren't in your black and white dictionary.  

People will stop inviting you out to bars when you tell them you struggle with alcohol.  But because you have to eat, it's impossible to avoid situations with food.  Even if I plan on ordering something healthy and taking half of it home to keep my portion size in control, I can easily get derailed when the person I'm with decides to order an appetizer, or something more delicious but less healthy than I was planning, and don't even get me started on ordering dessert...

Some people don't understand that food is addictive just like alcohol or nicotine, but since you can't just give it up, they don't know what to do.  It's not talked about.  Nobody mentions when you start to put on a few pounds from binging.  If you were passing out regularly from alcohol, people would say something!  Eating doesn't interfere with your daily life-you are a high functioning addict and the only sign is a few pounds here and there...which like I said-nobody is going to mention.

2) Yes, God created our bodies.  Yes, food is necessary to fuel these bodies.  BUT...and this is where my thinking has changed slightly...God created our bodies for HIS purpose.  Just like when I refrain from contacting cute dead-end boy because I know it would not be honoring God with my emotions and/or body, I should also refrain from filling my body with junk because that too is not honoring to Him.

My body is a vessel.  A way for God to work here, on the Earth.  Through me, He can step into peoples lives, show love and further His Kingdom.  

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 19:20

If you were given a race car, would you fuel with with economy gas?  NO!  If you were given a designer gown would you throw it in the washer with your gym socks and some Tide?  NO!!

Why then do I never consider God when I'm filling my body with crap?  If this vessel is going to be used by God, shouldn't I be maintaining it to the best of my ability?  This body is not my own, I'm a steward of it while here on Earth.  This body belongs to Him.  

In most areas of my life, I have made the decision to yield to God.  To walk in a manner worthy of Him.  I change how I do things or give them up all together because I love Him and know His will is best for me.  But my eating has always been about me.  What sounds good to me, what will fill this void, satisfy this craving, bring me comfort.  It's never been about God.  Filling this body with the things it needs to serve God, to honor Him, to keep it healthy for many more years of service.

I don't believe God wants me to suffer through mushy carrots and dry chicken every day.  I know there is nothing wrong with enjoying the foods I like in moderation.  It's just the moderation I struggle with.  Because I'm not focused on Him.  I'm not seeing the few chocolate covered almonds as a nice treat once in a while.  I see them as something I've earned, a right, a fix for whatever is wrong.  If some is good, more is better.  

I know that walking away from inappropriate relationships with men will protect my heart and prepare me for the future husband God (hopefully) has for me.  So I'm willing to make that sacrifice.  Am I then, also willing to sacrifice the pleasure I find in junk foods, or high quantities of food, for the knowledge that I've properly stewarded the vessel God has entrusted me with? 

Oh, and a side note...food will never fill any void.  It won't make up for the lack of compliments, acknowledgement, or love.  It can't right wrongs or soothe our souls.  Another human can never completely satisfy us either...we are all flawed and eventually, we will somehow let down everyone we love.  There's only one thing that will fill those voids...God.

Where do we go from here?  Well, I'll be trying to figure out a healthy eating plan...I don't pretend to have all the answers, I'm a work in progress but I'll do my best to honestly share my struggles and successes as I work to honor God in this areas of my life and attempt to develop a healthier relationship with food.

I'm not going to drastically slash entire food groups from my diet nor am I going to radically amp up my workouts.  I'm going to focus on eating and dealing with food in a God honoring way...please add your struggles and triumphs to the conversation...