In this last month God has inspired me to write about the negative relationship many of us have with food. God has shown me that food and nutrition are an important component of our lives, but many of us have put food, diet, and exercise above our relationship with God and this has created an idol. Just like the Israelites though (who were constantly making idols) God is calling us back to Him. He wants us to get over our food issues so we can be free of the distraction that keeps us from hearing Him and relying on Him. He wants us to walk in the truth and to live in the freedom Jesus has provided for us. I was led today to write about my personal experience with overcoming food addiction and I pray that this will be helpful to all who read it.
Like many people I have had food struggles since adolescence and I can now confidently say that I am free of those struggles. It wasn’t the countless diets I tried or the newest exercise fads that helped me to overcome these struggles (and I have tried close to all of them), it was my reliance on Jesus. God showed me a simple truth recently that really impacted my outlook on food. He showed me that whenever we give up something because we feel like we have to, it sets us up for failure. This is why diets don’t work for the majority of people. The reason being is that when we attempt to give up certain foods we often do it through our own willpower and that will only take us so far before we give up and go back to our previous habits. This is not living in God’s best for our lives.
God’s Word tells us that He has a plan for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), but God showed me that this plan includes an eating plan that is right for each of our unique bodies. God created us in different shapes and sizes, and He has a tailored eating plan that will work best for each individual. When we stick to God’s unique eating plan, food will not be the distraction that it currently is, and this will help us to draw closer to God and to build our relationship with Him.
In 2017 I brought my food struggles to God and I handed those burdens over to Him. I knew that I would never go on another diet again and I believed that I could eat whatever I wanted but in moderation. I still had cravings though that I sometimes felt were uncontrollable and moderation flew out the window. About a month ago, in early August, I finally told God that this wasn’t working and that I needed Him to show me what I was supposed to eat. I clearly heard God tell me that I could eat whatever I wanted as long as I had a protein and vegetable with each meal. I obeyed God, and I started eating a protein and vegetable with each meal and I noticed almost instantly that my desire to eat foods that are bad for my body seized. No longer did I have a desire to eat a pack of cookies, a pint of ice cream, a bag of chips, or any fast food. Those desires were completely gone, and all I did was put my trust in Jesus, rely on Him, and obey His word. What I have been learning is that it was already a finished work, that this temptation had been conquered two thousand years ago on the cross. Submitting to God brought the physical manifestation of overcoming the temptation.
As of the day of this writing, it has been a month since I have had any food with more than one tablespoon of added sugar or any greasy, fried foods. Obeying God and submitting to His eating plan has set me free from a food addiction that I have struggled with for nearly thirty years. I haven’t given up any foods; God told me I can eat whatever I want as long as I eat a protein and vegetable with each meal. The difference now though is that I have no desire to eat those foods I once craved and only have the desire to eat the whole nutritious foods that God created for me to eat. Food is no longer my idol, I don’t have to count calories or worry about the fat, sugar, or carbohydrate contents of the foods I eat. This is living in freedom, this is living in truth, and this brings glory to God and His goodness.
The Truth in Action: The Bible tells us that “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34), which means He shows no partiality or favoritism. What He does for one He will do for all who ask. If you struggle with food issues, if food has become your idol (something you put ahead of God), then go to God and ask Him to show you how He wants you to eat. He will give you a plan that is right for you. He wants you to get over your food issues because it is a distraction that is keeping you from relying on Him. Turn back to God and live in the freedom that Jesus has provided for us.
Meditate on Scripture: I Corinthians 16:14 – Let all that you do be done in love.
Thank you for conformation and encouragement