I’m pretty sure my neighbors are grossed out by me.
The windows in our kitchens face each other. Occasionally, we both have our curtains pulled back and we can look directly into each other’s kitchens. I can’t count how many times they have must have witnessed me stand in front of my kitchen sink or trash can and spit out a mouthful of chewed up food. Gross, right?!
What they don’t know is that they’re witnessing obedience to the Lord in those gross moments. They’re catching me in act of proclaiming my freedom over food.
Like many people, “unconscious” eating is something that has plagued me through the years. It’s like my brain doesn’t register that I’m eating until I’m halfway through a bag of tortilla chips. The hardest things for me are the “little foxes” that sneak in so easily when I am cooking or doing the dishes after a meal. One minute I’m cooking chili, and the next minute I’m eating spoonfuls of it out of the pot in the name of “testing the recipe.” One minute I’m doing dishes, the next minute I’m eating the last piece of garlic bread so it “doesn’t go to waste.” I walk by the kitchen and grab one little cracker. Harmless, right? It’s just one little cracker….
I truly treasure the moments where I am able to catch myself in the act of breaking my boundaries. In the simple (and sometimes gross) act of spitting out the food, or removing the spoon from my mouth, I am able to return to obedience in the Lord.
In those moments, I am able to take my thoughts captive just as Paul says “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5. In this moment, I am able to say (often with the food still in my mouth) to myself ” STOP! What are you doing here Becky? Let’s evaluate. Is this what staying within my boundaries really looks like? Does the Lord delight in me swallowing this bite of food or in surrendering it to the trash can? Am I willing to give up this momentary bite of pleasure in exchange for freedom? Will I choose to honor God and my body by not eating this bite because I’ve already reached my 5?”
Catching myself in the act often looks like:
-Removing a spoonful of food that I’ve put in my mouth in the name of “tasting”
-Spitting out a mouthful of food the second I realize I am not within my 0-5 boundaries
-Pushing the chips and salsa away from me so it’s not within arm’s reach anymore
-Putting away the box of crackers so it is out of sight
-Putting the sandwich down, closing my mouth, lifting my eyes and saying “No, Lord. I will not eat outside of the boundaries you have set before me. In this moment, I chose to die to myself. I chose to honor and obey you.”
I often look just like this picture below when I catch myself in the act!
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Catching myself in the act has almost become a discipline for me. It is a discipline of turning immediately from my disobedience. “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.” Ezekiel 18:30. God delights in our every effort to turn from our selfish ways as we choose to obey and return to Him. And I believe He honors even our smallest act of obedience. Every bite we surrender outside of our hunger is an act of worship and obedience that he delights in!
How about you? Have you “caught yourself in the act”? What does that look like for you? Do you have any stories of turning from rebellion to obedience? Have you seen the fruits of obedience in your life? How do you defeat temptation in the moment when you want one more bite?
I love this!! God has been convicting me the last two days on being slack on going outside my boundaries of getting a few bits while standing up, waiting for food to cook in microwave. He is helping me to catch myself and just STOP! Praise God!
This is a very good and timely reminder. I have also been sneaking in those extra bites lately. if I catch myself “in the act”, I’ll spit it out.
Hi Becky,
Thank you for sharing!
I’ve also had to do this where the food is even chewed and I feel a strong conviction to not swallow it.
I thought maybe I was the only one who did that. For me it was like the Lord showed me I was just wanting my way (like a little child having a fit) and I’m going to sneak in one more bite, but praise God I can stop and spit it out even if that seems “gross”.
Thanks so much,
Joy
‘Defeating the temptation in the very moment of temptation when I want one more bite’ has been: keeping my eyes fixed and focused upon Christ Jesus, His example given to me to fight temptation from God’s Word!!! Having God’s Word, the Bible, the Sword of the Spirit, opened up in every room of the house, ready to employ at the fiery darts of Satan, the world, and flesh has helped me so with temptations to overcome them with Truth – ‘tasting and seeing that the LORD is good’!! While I am preparing meals in the kitchen, along with other times I know that I have been tempted in the past -late night snacking, etc.- having a ‘break the chain’ in place beforehand, with Scriptures on playlists, index cards and post it notes with Scriptures posted over sink, stove, mirrors, framed on the wall, refrigerator,and praise playlists going while cooking in the kitchen, etc. help so much, too! Oh, LORD, we thank You so for Your fullness of grace and Truth we have in Christ Jesus, and You, God the Holy Spirit, indwelling us and empowering us, refilling us as we feast upon Your Truth and are filled up on it, to enable us to obey, please, love, and glorify You, Abba Father God! We thank You, Jesus, for Your example You give us in your Word on how to battle temptations victoriously Your way with employing the Sword of the Spirit in the midst of the battle!! Colossians 3 Thank You for Your forgiveness we receive as we confess our sin of gluttony and for the fruit of temperance, self-control, Christ likeness, that You are producing and ripening in us as we say ‘no’ to sin and yes, to more of You, Jesus, coming to know You more and more with each step of obedience – dying to self to live in You – true life eternal!! Thank You for granting us the gift of repentance, Godly repentance, not worldly repentance, sorrow for getting caught and the consequences, but not for how we have sinned against You, God, having a broken and contrite spirit with how we have grieved and quenched You, God the Holy Spirit, we have with Godly repentance, and, then, asking Your forgiveness and turning to You, alone, Jesus!! I Corinthians 7. We can ‘not forgive ourselves’; if we could why would You have had to come and die, be crucified, and pour out Your blood, Jesus, for paying the penalty for our sins, taking our punishment from the wrath of God, and to forgive us, but we come to You, alone, asking You for forgiveness, and You forgive us as we confess our sins, You are faithful to forgive them!! 1 John 1:9. We praise and thank You so for our reconciliation and redemption – our all we have in You, Christ Jesus to appropriate and to walk free from the bondage to sin; may we truly desire to please and glorify You in all! 1 Corinthians 10:31. Thank You for Your unfathomable love and unfathomable patience with us and Your amazing grace, and Truth, fullness we have in You, Christ Jesus, to say ‘no’ to sin of gluttony and yes, to You Jesus, our Eternal Love!!
Pamela, AMEN!! and these words just jumped off the page to me ” say ‘no’ to sin of gluttony “. I’ve not been doing very well at this lately. I’m going to put some post-it notes on my cupboards for me. Thank you for what you have written.
Becky, Yes! I’m happy to say, I have caught myself in the act and done the very same thing, spit it out!!! But I needed this reminder. And the way you’ve said this is so inspirational and motivating. I need to read this every day, until I get it right. Thank your for this message.