A Spiritual Eating Disorder

Two years ago I decided that I needed to develop a healthier lifestyle.  I couldn't remember the last time I had exercised.  At the time my diet consisted of fried foods, pasta and plenty of bread.  As long as I could go to the mall and buy a bigger size I was fine. But every day when I looked in the mirror I was not happy with the person staring back at me.  The more I tried to dress up (or should I say cover up) the things I disliked about myself the more apparent my faults became.  Finally I decided that I needed to do something about it.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  I was putting on my pants and got frustrated and said out loud, "I have to do something about this."  So I began working out the very next day.  It would have been nice to say that I had immediate results on the scale and in the self-esteem area but I did not.  The main reason was that I didn't realize that it wasn't just what was on the outside that was receiving an unhealthy diet. It was my spirit that was yearning to be fed from the Word of God.  While I was focusing on my physical man, my spiritual man was starving for nourishment. 

Many times when we identify a problem we only identify half the problem.  We fail to dig deeper to the root cause.  We start playing the blame game.  I remember blaming my weight on countless things. If I was depressed about something I ate for comfort.  If I was upset about something I ate to calm my nerves.  If I was lonely food was my substitute for companionship.  I also remember blaming my low self-esteem on others. The ones who said they loved me and left.   I had amnesia about the things my father told me as a child.  That I was beautiful.  That I was a King's kid.  And now with my father no longer in my ear telling me these things I became a product of my daily diet.  I shouldn't have been surprised.  My diet consisted of junk food.  I'm not talking about potato chips, chocolate chip cookies and soda pop.  I am talking about gossip, trashy television, negativity from the men in my life.  I wasn't even receiving the Word through the television.  You know the saying ' you are what you eat', I could have been the spokesperson of 'what not to eat'. In order to grow properly one must consume a nutritious balanced diet.  Although I recognized my need to change up the things I ate from fried to bake, from french fries to vegetables, from pasta to rice; I didn't even stop to think about the fact that my soul was not receiving the nourishment it needed also.  For the believer, that diet should consist of a steady intake of the Word of God.  How else can you know what it is the Lord thinks of you?  How else can you know what He desires for your life?

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 says, 'Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD'. 

We have a natural need for food.  Although we may come to rely on many things to provide us with nourishment, without a healthy diet of the Word of God we will not survive.  We will remain overweight and full of all the unhealthy things of the flesh.  Things like sexual immorality,  impurity, strife, jealousy, and envy....just to name a few.  We will never know true love until we come to recognize the love our Heavenly Father has for us. The One who  loves us just as we are.  The One who loves us so much that He chose not to leave us in this broken down condition. Our lives, like the children of Israel, must go through wilderness experiences  to let us know that there is a spiritual aspect to life that requires feeding and maintenance just as surely as the physical.  Our spiritual diet should consist of prayer, Bible study, worship, and obedience to His commands. These are the ways by which our relationship with God is enhanced.  Remember now that while you may notice the results of an unhealthy diet each and every time you look in the mirror or when you put your clothes on, the results of a malnutritious spiritual life may go unnoticed for a long period of time.  I know that I had learned to mask mine quite well.  You see, life doesn't stop and after a while we just learn to go with it.  But there will come a time where your lack of spiritual food will stare you dead in the face and you will have to come to terms with it.  There will be no one to blame but yourself.  But why let it come to that point.  You know what needs to be done.  The average American spends at least an hour a day wasting time.  Instead of wasting your time, give God time.  I guarantee that you will like the results. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Your Word.  Help me to make it a daily part of my diet.  Let it be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathway.  Help me to hide it in my heart so that I may not sin against You.  Right now I need help prioritizing.  Help me to let go of those non-essential things that take up so much of my time.  I thank You now Father for this gift.  Let me not take it for granted.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.