I find The Lord’s Table can be wonderfully compatible with Thin Within. That is why I have dedicated so much of this blog to sharing about it.

This lesson builds on previous lessons that have been shared.

Repentance brings with it a “godly sorrow” and this godly sorrow is crucial to victory over sin. (TLT p. 41)

2 Corinthians 7:8-13 is the focus passage for this lesson.

We need to pray for sorrow in our hearts as we repent from over-eating. (TLT, p. 41)

The author explains that the teaching that overeating is sin is difficult to swallow and most diets, programs and “experts” will minimize this or avoid or deny it all together. They will often, instead, indicate that changing the food is the answer or exercising more.

But the fact is, the thought that overeating is a sin is TRUTH.

Freedom comes through embracing truth and truth often times wounds us. (TLT, p. 42)

Right now, the truth is hard for me…and that is, my having turned my back on diet soda all together has shown me just how connected I am to sweet-tasting foods. As I have stopped drinking diet soda at all, my lust for sweet foods has escalated as has my indulgence in them. Isaiah 57:14-15 challenges me to remove the obstacles that may keep me from a straight path. I am praying now, asking the Lord to show me if I need a season of giving up any sweet foods (sugar is in everything, so I can’t claim that I would ever be led to stop eating “sugar” as that means peanut butter, barbeque sauce and other unlikely sources for sugar).

Regardless, I know it is time for some sort of boundary.

True repentance:
It is turning completely away from sin, doing an about face, and then pursuing God with a reckless abandon. And it is also sorrowing over sin to such an extent that the heart begins to hate the sin and turns from it. This is repentance, and if either of these elements are missing the freedom from sin will not be lasting. If one merely feels sorrow over the sin but does not turn from it then he is not free. Or if one merely turns from the sin but does not develop a heart-sorrow over it he is not free either. Both must be present in the life. (TLT, p. 43)

I would highlight that in a way there is a third element…he mentions it as part of the first, but to me 1.) turning away from sin 2.) turning to God 3.) hating the sin that I have turned away from.

For me, it isn’t just sinful eating I want to be free from. I can do that and have…for over 2 years now. I want to be free from sinful thinking about food. That is why I returned to The Lord’s Table workbook and picked up the Freedom from Emotional Eating workbook. I want to change the way I think about food or about eating…or about NOT eating!!!

Summary: True repentance is characterized by true change. There is an earnestness to be done with sin, a longing for holiness, a zeal for living differently, for praising and worshiping God, a humility of heart. Worldly sorrow doesn’t cut it…being sorry for the consequences just isn’t repentance.