Have you ever felt like this?
“I am tired of my quiet times being all about what I eat or don’t eat.”
Do you feel like you want something different to be the focus of your time with God?
I totally understand!
Here is a potentially important distinction for us to draw.
My time with Jesus is to direct the focus of my eating.vs.My eating is to direct the focus of my time with Jesus.
Does the distinction make sense? It is really huge to me.
When I “blow it” with my eating or views of myself, I confess and move on. God doesn’t want me to sit quietly with him beating myself up with books and workbooks and verses and prayers all focusing on food and getting this right and that right…and call it my “quiet” time. When I do this, it is like I bring my sin, now confessed and forgiven, into my sacred time spent focusing on…well…it is supposed to be time spent focusing on Jesus! Not only that, but it is as if I haven’t believed him–that he has cleansed me of ALL unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Yet, instead, I make it be about my mess ups, my food, my need to “fix.” I wallow in condemnation, which is so contrary to what the Word says! (See Romans 8:1)
What if we were to reverse this? What if we were to take time each day with the Lord (and in the rhythms of the day, too…in the quiet moments waiting at traffic signals, or when in the shower, whenever else we can), rich opportunities to focus on his sufficiency? What if we were to worship Him in those times? What if we were to toss out the food/body/issue related bible studies for a month and do an experiment? Let’s just sit at his feet and focus on getting to know HIM more. I mean, REALLY get to know Him more. What is He like? What does He do now? How does Jesus reveal Him to us? Who is the Holy Spirit and how does He affect me now?
And what if we took the things He shows us about himself in our times with Him into our eating? Whether we eat or drink–whatever we do–we can glorify God, so it stands to reason we can take the things we know, learn, are reminded of from those sacred moments with still hearts before Him and go into the eating experience changed, transformed, ready to allow Him to yet reveal more to us.
Does this make sense to anyone?
It is a subtle, but profound difference.
If I can make my eating/view of my size and my body be about what I learn in my times alone with Jesus instead of make my times alone with Jesus be about my eating–what kind of changes might occur in my life over all?
Thanks, I needed that today!
Thanks, I needed that today!
I have found myself doing this same thing, and I have found I "feel" worse than when I began.. and now I see.. Jesus wants my heart to focus on Him and not on food! Thanks Heidi! Hug hug.. Barb
I have found myself doing this same thing, and I have found I "feel" worse than when I began.. and now I see.. Jesus wants my heart to focus on Him and not on food! Thanks Heidi! Hug hug.. Barb
Yes I have to say I needed to hear JUST this today. I have spent the past six months or more with my quiet time focusing on what needed to be "fixed" in me(books, studies, etc about it the eating). I see a change needing to come soon. This was perfect for today! Thank you for sharing this way of thinking!!!
Yes I have to say I needed to hear JUST this today. I have spent the past six months or more with my quiet time focusing on what needed to be "fixed" in me(books, studies, etc about it the eating). I see a change needing to come soon. This was perfect for today! Thank you for sharing this way of thinking!!!
This is wonderful! I needed it more than I can express! God is using you to affirm what he has been talking to me about. Thankyou!
This is wonderful! I needed it more than I can express! God is using you to affirm what he has been talking to me about. Thankyou!