The overarching theme throughout my wellness journey has been food frustration and comfort misplacement. If you are anything like me, your health is important. Our families need us. Let’s be real, they don’t make the best choices when they have to fend for themselves. Why do I have to explain that take-out pizza and ice cream are not actually food?! Because just like us, they crave it. These cravings have been difficult and frustrating for me personally. I want to be healthy! I know I shouldn’t eat nutritionally void food! I even know why! I know how detrimental it is to my body! So seriously why do I struggle? I’ve prayed, lamented and complained to God.
I learned a lot about myself in the truth of reflection through the Word.
Comfort
Food is my comfort, hence the phrase “comfort food”. Health magazines try to update comfort food to make them healthier, but it’s not addressing the underlying issue…the human need for comfort and peace.
Why do we crave this comfort and peace? Stress and frustration, with work, family, relationships, circumstances…basically life, steals our peace and joy. Escape from these feelings seems a viable option. Intellectually, I know the universe is not under my control, but I don’t like the outcome sometimes so I feel compelled to change it. I’m learning it’s not my place to “fix” everything, and sometimes what I think needs fixing isn’t really broken. The crux of my stress and frustration, and therefore my need for comfort and peace, isn’t my circumstances, it is my inability to turn EVERYTHING over to God…EVERYTHING.
Frustration
I’ll give you a great example of this failure in my life. I really, really wanted this thing…a move in a direction in which I knew God was leading me to go. I grasped impatiently to rush towards it, desperate to hurry along God’s timeline.
It happened just a few weeks ago. God allowed a door to open specifically so I could look inside and see I don’t belong there, just yet. The door opened and excitement filled my heart, “Yes! I’m going to get that thing I’m sure I really want, right now!”
The Enemy fills my heart with temptation, “Look! There it is. Take it!”
I opened the door and peeked my head inside. Looks like it might be great….then things got stressful and frustration overwhelmed me.
You see what I just did? Taking God’s plan for my life and forcing it to coincide with my wants created stress and frustration. What do ya’ think I did with that frustration? I ate it. More specifically, I ate things I imagined would make me feel comfort and peace.
“…The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'” Gen. 3:13 NIV
Now I’ve made myself physically sick, on top of being stressed and frustrated.
Food
“My food,” Jesus said, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” John 4:34 NIV
Food has become my substitute for comfort and peace, when the Word of God is really the food of comfort and peace.
I ate the Enemy's lies. Actually, I devoured them in the form of sugar and carbs. Click To TweetSeeking the comfort and peace I desire, which was born from the stress and frustration I created.
The Enemy tricked me into becoming…a sucker. Why would the Enemy spend so much time deceiving me?
If you are worth the attention of the Father of Lies, you must have great potential in the Kingdom of God. Click To Tweet
I don’t know what your struggle is, but we are all deceived by subtle lies. The lie makes us believe that we can find what we are looking for somewhere outside the will of God.
Rest
God’s will for us isn’t a life of defeat or waste.
“Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.…” Rom. 12:1-2 NIV
When we are healthy, full of energy and focused, the Enemy shows up, “Ugh!” he groans. “This woman is going to accomplish a lot today for the Kingdom. We need to shut her down. We need to help her destroy her temple. Then she’ll feel fat, unfocused and sluggish. Maybe she’ll catch a virus and be in bed for days… which is exactly where we want her!”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28
The next time you are tempted to eat something unnourishing, ask yourself, “Is the Enemy trying to make a sucker out of me? Distract me from my God-given course? Weaken my temple?”
“Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.'” Matt. 16:23
Dear Lord,
Help us to remember that we were handcrafted by You for good works by faith. The Enemy comes to destroy us and our work. Show us Lord, the bounty in your earth, that provides the nourishment for our bodies and the benefits of it. Teach us how to maintain healthy bodies; so that Your work may be accomplished through us.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
This is SO good! Really hit home. It’s amazing how much easier it is to grab the bag of chips or make a grilled cheese than to turn to scripture/prayer for comfort – even when we KNOW that’s what we should do. The other thing I do is get lost watching TV or Netflix rather than spend time reading or writing. I find “comfort” in doing something mindless and then I beat myself up for wasting time! Satan knows our weak points and gets to work on us in a hurry, doesn’t he? It is a battle – but we are more than conquerors! Thanks for the encouragement.
I also wanted to thank you for the Holistic Health Resources – great info!
Hey Lisa! This is still a struggle for me…..like daily. I can resonate with the mindless TV watching and Netflix. Many years of being sick and depressed became comparable to watching TV once I started being able to participate in life. So much like food choices I’m constantly reminding myself (sometimes without success), that I have a fruitful life to live and Satan can’t have it.
I’m so encouraged you found it helpful.
Super glad you enjoyed your FREEBIE!
Amen! Thank you! Is the enemy trying to make a sucker out of me? Loved that. And yep, he is.
I have to remind myself of that daily….so sneaky!