Right now, as I write this, I am tempted to hit the fridge for some of my left over Chipotle burrito. I love Chipotle. There is nothing better than my Chipotle burrito unless it is, perhaps, my Chipotle burrito left over with some extra cheese and salsa! One burrito can easily give me three meals and, perhaps, even five!
Because it is so good, I find myself — right now — tempted to eat before I have a clear hunger signal. My “0” hasn’t arrived, though I can sense it is close.
So how does this entire renewing of the mind and truth stuff work? For me, it changes my now.
Because I have been working so hard at rehearsing the truth and renewing my mind with God’s truth (each morning and, often, each afternoon), I have automatically sort of gone through a little process this afternoon even while considering giving in to eating my burrito before having a clear 0 signal. I have thought about the burrito and how good it will be and these truths have jumped into my head to help me be victorious over the temptation:
1. The burrito will be there when I AM hungry. It isn’t going anywhere! (I know this is obvious, but when you are in the throes of temptation, sometimes, you don’t think straight!)
2. The burrito will actually taste even better when I am hungry….truly hungry…AND when I don’t have the hindrance of my convicted heart and going against my conscience!
3. That burrito, as yummy as it is, will not taste good enough to make me glad that I ate outside of my boundaries.
4. Giving in to eating that burrito would be practicing blasting out of my boundaries. I can, instead, use this moment (or momentS) of temptation as an opportunity to grow in my strength and resolve NOT to give in when I am tempted. If I give in now, I am practicing giving in to my temptations and will be more likely to do so the next time.
5. Right NOW is the time to be faithful to God and to my resolve…right NOW is the time to show respect for my body and to honor God with my eating, drinking AND abstaining!
6. If I give in right now, I am more likely to continue to struggle with desire eating all the time and to have the confusion about my body…I will keep struggling with my size as I never know what God has in mind for me if I keep eating outside of 0 and 5 boundaries. Eating within my 0 and 5 boundaries RIGHT NOW will help me to continue to faithfully stay on the path that will provide clarity…physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
7. It is possible that there is something else going on that I should deal with that eating when I am not hungry will only serve to mask.
Ok, so these are the truths that are off the top of my head and by going over them in my mind (and typing them up here!), I have talked myself into waiting for the 0 and into being faithful to what God has called me to do!
My conscience is free!
And…by the way…I am hungry now! YAY!
How About You?
What do you do when you can’t get a certain temptation out of your mind? Would it be helpful to start telling yourself about the situation, about the food, about the choices that are before you? If you are pro-active and practice thinking truth each day—whether or not you are being tempted at the time—then it is more likely that you will use these tools automatically when you are tempted. Is doing the work worth it?
What you listed here is very similar to what I tell myself when I really want a certain food and I really want it NOW, even if I’m not at 0. It is obvious that the food will be there later when I am truly hungry, but it’s like I have to convince myself of that. It’s kind of funny, but it’s so true!
Each time I take the time to read and consider what you post in your blog, Heidi, there is something to help and encourage me. Thank you! The first few weeks of my TW journey seemed almost easy. Now I am struggling. Actually, the past couple of weeks, I’ve done more giving in to temptation than struggling to do what I know is right. Today’s blog reminds me that I need to review my truth cards and memory verses so that God’s truth gets written on the doorposts of my mind and tucked deeply into my heart. THEN I might experience what you’ve shared here. I know God has called me to 0 – 5 eating and He is not surprised at how hard this is for me – true full surrender.
Hi, Sheila. I am so glad that you find something here to encourage you or to help. God has such a sense of humor, really. Ah…your “honeymoon” period is over, eh? You can do this, Sheila! I know you can! Yes, there ARE practical ways we can participate in what God wants to do in our lives. True full surrender….a beautiful, but terrifying thing!