Recently, I was reviewing some old journals of mine. I was smiling at first because that particular day it seemed I was doing well with my eating and exercise plan.
But then I came across this entry written a few days later:
"Ugh! I was doing well but for the last 4 days I went completely off the rails! I am back on track now but I am so tired of this cycle.
I just want my brain to delete the circuit that causes it to be attracted to foods that hijack it, which to my brain might as well be crack cocaine.
I just have to face the truth. I can't get away with it."
Have you ever fallen for the seductive idea that you can do something that you know isn't good for you, but that you can get away with it just this one time?
I call this a
seductive lie because our flesh wants to believe it is true.
However, Galatians 6:7 says this:
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."
I believe the enemy deceives us with the "you can get away with
it" lie because often we don't reap the seeds that we sow immediately.
He leaves out the fact that the seeds we sow come back to us multiplied.
Typically, our results (reaping) show up later, much like growth happens with trees and plants.
Seeds germinate over
time.
I know because I gained 100 pounds after high school.
But it didn't happen overnight.
For years, it seemed that I was getting away with poor eating habits of fast
food, junk food, and eating my feelings.
My "just this one time" deception was repeated over and over for 20 years - much like compound interest.
Then one day, the reaping came with obesity and health problems. I did not get away with it after all.
I did not get away with it any more than a person who sows tomato seeds but then expects to reap corn!
Yes, I know - many of us can point to a person we know who eats terribly, but still looks slim and healthy on the outside.
Let me tell you something about that
person:
- They are probably under the age of 40
- They may eat terribly when you're together but since you don't see what they do the rest of the time your perspective is likely skewed
- You don't know what is happening on the inside of their body
- They aren't you; you have to be a good steward of the body the Lord gave you
God has instructions in His word on the foods
He designed man to eat. When you eat the majority of these foods in the proper amounts for your unique body, then your body responds with better health and energy.
However when you use man-made foods loaded with chemicals but don't offer anything of value to your body, it may seem as if you are getting away with it for a season.
It may even take years before the effects of your choices show up.
But they will show up in one form or another because God said that we reap what we sow.
It's time to start using this truth to our
advantage!
Start with facing the truth like I did: "I can't get away with it."
While our flesh doesn't like that truth, our Spirit recognizes that it gives us an incredible
opportunity!
Once I left the seductive lie behind and started eating according to the truth, I lost that excess weight. I sowed good seeds and reaped the harvest in due season.
You don't have to settle for low
energy, mood swings, and an unfocused brain.
You can start ordering your daily life to harmonize with God's word in your mental, emotional and physical health.
As you sow these good seeds, you can expect to reap a blessing over time. Why? Because God's word says
so!
I created the "Feel Good Meal Plan" as part of the Take Back Your Temple program because I want you to experience freedom in living out your God-given purpose.
It's hard to do that when you have mood swings, low energy and depression, which allows the enemy to take advantage of biochemical imbalances in our brains.
However, when we learn to eat to maintain emotional stability and energy, we can close that door to the enemy's seductive lies.
That leaves us free to finally start living the abundant life Jesus came to give
us.