Thank you God for my food

Understanding the science of why we overeat and what causes food addiction is all pretty amazing stuff. But I want to remind you today that nothing is too difficult for God. Nothing! All we have to do is ask. It's not as complicated as we sometimes make it out to be.

Maybe you notice this as well with you, but in my life, there is always this point that I get to where I feel like I've lost all control in a certain area. I feel a sense of hopelessness and desperation, and this fierce anger comes over me. This anger is directed at the sin in my life - the area that I have lost control over. I realize that I am weak, that not only do I know that I can't do it on my own, but I don't WANT to anymore. I feel completely helpless and so exhausted.

When I reach this point I know that I am on the verge of a breakthrough - of FREEDOM. This is when I cry out and pour my heart out before the Lord. When I am at the point where I know that I cannot take one more step on my own -- I turn to God, and I let him speak to me.

I've realized that weight is an idol to me.

When I am angry, I eat. When I am bored, I eat. When I am stressed out, I eat. When I am depressed, I eat. When I am happy, I eat. I have found a source of comfort from my food. I have this love-hate relationship with food; I love it because it tastes so good, but I hate it because it makes me bloated and fat. When my emotions are out of control, I do not go to God or read the Word - I eat because it is easier.

I feel great about myself when I fit into my clothes and I feel thin, but bad about myself when I feel fat. I am not spirit-led, my weight controls my moods and my life. I draw strength from my weight and not from God. My weight is an idol to me.

I've missed out on so many of God's blessings and opportunities all because of my weight. I can't count the number of times that I've stayed home from church on Sunday mornings because I think I am fat. Just recently we had a beautiful women's banquet at our church, and I chose not to go because I felt fat.

I want to encourage all of the women who can relate to what I am saying. If we repent, God WILL heal us. He will TEACH us how to eat again. God will teach us how to eat until we are satisfied, and not until we are engorged. Every time we sit down to eat, we should thank God for our food. Food is not the enemy, and it's not our satisfaction either. Food brings strength to our bodies. When we are worried, angry and depressed, we should worship God and draw our strength from Him - not from our food. When we are eating there is an inner voice inside each of us that tells us when we are satisfied. At that point we make our choice - do we keep eating because it tastes so, so good? Or do we put our forks down and know that we are satisfied - that we don't need to eat anymore.

I am determined and so excited to not eat simply because food tastes good, but to eat because I'm feeding myself. I desire to eat healthy because I want to take care of myself, but I don't want to eat healthy to lose weight. There is nothing wrong with enjoying food when you are celebrating - weddings, showers, parties. But choose to eat to celebrate... not celebrate eating.