Can discontentment make us gain weight?
Has an attitude of negativity ever affected your eating habits?
This week, we will focus on fostering a grateful heart, but, first, let’s look at the detriment of a discontented spirit.
During the Exodus out of Egypt, the Israelites saw God do amazing things, but it didn’t take long for them to decide that life was better back in Egypt. When they faced some trials in the present moment, they glorified their past, forgetting the torment of their former slavery.
I can identify, sadly. I think back to days when I gorged myself while watching movies with friends or family. I glorify that past by considering the “fun” and “freedom” of that lifestyle. I fail to remember in those moments that I was in horrible slavery! My body and heart were far from free and I was walking a path that led to physical, emotional, and spiritual health problems!
Please read these selected passages from the book of Numbers to get a feeling for the progression that occurred with the Israelites.
As you can see from these passages:
• The Israelites were discontent with God’s provision for their lives (the manna) and they craved something different.
• Israelites rejected manna. But this held deeper significance than just a desire for a change in diet.
They preferred to gratify their fleshly cravings, instead of to feed contentedly on God’s provision for them.
Oh! This is so convicting to me! God provides me with all that my body needs. He does so with abundance. I get to choose from a broad assortment of tastes and textures. Such bounty! Yet, I fuss and complain because if I eat as much as my greedy heart wants, I gain weight and compromise my health. I resentfully think, “How come I can’t get away with doing what I want?” Just like a spoiled child!
I don’t want to reject God’s best!
Consider for a moment:
How might eating between 0 and 5 and going to God for all other reasons we might eat, be similar to the Lord feeding His people with manna in the desert? What do you think? I would love to hear from you about this. 🙂
Do you feel prone at all to being discontent at this stage of your Thin Within journey? If not, you may soon! (Well, I hope not, of course!)
You can plan ahead for this! Be proactive! Know that this will come and plan to REJECT thoughts of discontentment or resentment toward God when they come.
Have you heard yourself say (or thought): “I am tired of being hungry!”
This mindset demonstrates my focus is on ME, instead of GOD’s great and marvelous provision: “I get to eat every time I am hungry!”
In fact, some of us struggle with thoughts of “quitting.” It starts with:
And similar thoughts.
Satan loves it when we question God’s character – or, like in the garden of Eden, we think: “God is holding out on me.”
Let’s reject these lies!!
Numbers 11 is a sad commentary of the extreme place that discontentment can take us. This is why, during this journey, you will hear me say again and again, let’s get our eyes off of food, our bodies, and ourselves. When these things have our focus, we want to quit.
(Oh…Kim is helping me while I am gone…She knows the material, so while I am gone, Kim will dive in to support you as the Lord leads. THANKS bkimberli!)
