This was posted by “MishaPraise”–also known as “Red from Iowa”–on the Thin Within forums. I repost it here with permission. I thought it was too good not to share with as many as possible! Thanks, Red, for letting me share your wisdom and insight with others!
I had an interesting epiphany this morning that I will try to put into words. It’s probably common knowledge to all of you but it was spiritual dynamite to me.
Hunger will find me. It will find me. I don’t have to hunt for it like I’ll miss it or something. God has constructed our bodies in such a way that when we are hungry, it will let us know, and of course, He will help it a bit if something is in the way of our realizing it.
So simple, but I have spent many obsessed hours “looking’ for hunger. Am I hungry, am I not, is this 5? or 4? or 3? It was like planting a little seed and digging it up every day to see if it had grown? It created it’s own obsession and pushed out things God wanted to say and do in me.
So, today, I will not stress over it. When the body is hungry, it will get in touch with me. It waited until 10 this morning. But I do not have to worry about it any more. That lie, that it is all up to me, is shattered.
So is the lie that I HAVE to eat the moment I feel hunger. I don’t have to if I can’t do it the way I need to within the perameters of conscious eating. I can wait. I won’t die ( although I imagine that is one of the lies the enemy has been whispering in my soul. NOT ANY MORE!!!!!!!) Jesus waited 40 days once. (I’m not talking anorexia here) . I’m talking about thwarting a little lie from the pit called gluttonous expediencey, gotta have it and gotta have it NOW!! That is the mantra of a food addict, let me tell you. I think it’s at the core of all addiction really.
But it’s not too great for God to handle and defeat. Nothing can defeat Him, which is just perfectly awesome because Romans 8 says He is for us and does not condemn us. Jesus took all God’s anger and condemnation for our sin on the cross. That left God to lovingly watch out for us. And that is just too cool.
It sure is, Red! Thanks again!
Yes! I loved this post on the forums and find myself rereading it all the time! I get something new from it each time I read it. Mostly, I love the message of *relaxing* in Him to know true hunger. So many times I get caught up in "the number" or trying to determine my number. At THAT moment I'm trying to turn toward the Lord and immediately put my thoughts and energy toward Him instead of trying to figure out something so little as whether I "get" to eat or not…so selfish! Now that I think about it, I've spent some time watching and learning from naturally thin eaters…eating slowly, etc. However, right before they eat I'm sure they're not anxiously wondering if they should eat or not. I'm positive, now, that naturally thin eaters just simply eat when hunger finds them!!! So, my "correction" is to stop the moment I'm wondering….to stop thinking about it….just stop….AND turn to Him for guidance. Aaahhhh, relaxing already!See, I get something new from this every time I read it. Thanks, Red! Thanks, Heidi!
Yes! I loved this post on the forums and find myself rereading it all the time! I get something new from it each time I read it. Mostly, I love the message of *relaxing* in Him to know true hunger. So many times I get caught up in "the number" or trying to determine my number. At THAT moment I'm trying to turn toward the Lord and immediately put my thoughts and energy toward Him instead of trying to figure out something so little as whether I "get" to eat or not…so selfish! Now that I think about it, I've spent some time watching and learning from naturally thin eaters…eating slowly, etc. However, right before they eat I'm sure they're not anxiously wondering if they should eat or not. I'm positive, now, that naturally thin eaters just simply eat when hunger finds them!!! So, my "correction" is to stop the moment I'm wondering….to stop thinking about it….just stop….AND turn to Him for guidance. Aaahhhh, relaxing already!See, I get something new from this every time I read it. Thanks, Red! Thanks, Heidi!
Thanks for sharing!It reminds me of getting gas for my car. I don't think about gas unless I'm running on empty. I don't drive around wondering "Hmm, am I low enough yet? I have 3/4 of a tank, maybe I should stop and fill up just in case" or "I'm bored/sad/frustrated/happy/etc…I know, let's gas up the car!" Silly, right?The same holds true for my body's fuel system. Thanks!Yvonne
Thanks for sharing!It reminds me of getting gas for my car. I don't think about gas unless I'm running on empty. I don't drive around wondering "Hmm, am I low enough yet? I have 3/4 of a tank, maybe I should stop and fill up just in case" or "I'm bored/sad/frustrated/happy/etc…I know, let's gas up the car!" Silly, right?The same holds true for my body's fuel system. Thanks!Yvonne