Discomfort

Trying to lose weight means being a little hungry from time to time.  I hate being hungry!  In fact, hunger and craving are the reasons I tend to fail at changing my diet.  One morning, when I woke up hungry, I had an epiphany or as Oprah says, and "a-ha" moment.  As I thought about my discomfort in being hungry, I thought about Jesus. Jesus was uncomfortable on the cross making the sacrifice for me.  In fact, He was in agony!  It put into perspective the "suffering" I felt just by eating in a disciplined manner that is glorifying to God.  God calls us to be disciplined and have self control.  This should be in our eating.  When we begin to whine about feeling hungry we must focus on Jesus - his temptation in the desert, his humiliation on the cross.  


Hunger can be dealt with when we focus on why we are hungry and feed on the word of Jesus.  He fills us with everything we need and we need to be witnesses for the world as to the truth of what he can provide.  It is such a disservice to Jesus to live under the vail of comfort.


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)

Indulgences

It is amazing how God seems to place before exactly what we need, when we need it.  This week hasn't been great for me.  I gave into my weakness for donuts one stormy day this week.  But the very next day, in my devotions, God placed before me exactly what I needed to hear.  In the Lord's Table Mike Cleveland writes "Food is not the problem. . . So, understanding that the condition of being overweight comes from indulging the flesh, it is foolish to change the kinds of foods with which we indulge the flesh.  If I forsake eating all breads and only indulge with meat, what have I profited?  My heart and lifestyle have not changed, and even though I might lose weight for a time it will surely come back on until I learn that the problem is that I have a habit of indulging my flesh, rather than just what kind of food I eat".

Wow!  How many of us have fought that fight - eliminating carbs, eliminating sugar, eliminating red meat - you name it we remove it.  For most of us that has not been successful.  So until we learn that it has to do with how we indulge our desires and flesh rather than what we are eating we will continue to fail.  Think about it.  Every time I have tried to eliminate a food from my diet it is the only food I crave.  It is worse.

But is being full in Christ enough to change our habits?  It should be but is it?  I ate too many donuts this week but threw the last ones away.  Baby steps people, baby steps.

Matthew 5:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"