Hello Readers,
I have been thinking about the word entitled a lot lately, especially when it comes to what I eat and how I spend my time. I think I have been feeling this way lately because I was challenged recently to think about some things that I can do to personally develop myself. Let me note that I have not figured this all out yet, nor am I walking in this yet, but I am working on it. In fact, I am actually fighting really hard against changing these things because it means that I will have to die to myself and my sin nature…it’s a spiritual battle.
One of the things that I decided would be good to develop myself personally was to lose weight, at least 50 pounds. I know that I can do it because I was able to do it last year while I was on the World Race. So, along with a new eating plan (soon to be created) and scheduled exercise several times a week, I believe I will be able to achieve this personal development. I think I might need some accountability also though, so if you’d like to help me out by asking me about it, let me know and we can figure out what that should look like!
I think that for me, eating is much more than a physical thing. I have often looked to food to help comfort me because it was easily accessible. When I was sad, I ate…when I was happy, I ate… when I was alone, I ate….when I was bored, I ate…when I was________, I ate. Oftentimes, I would choose to eat unhealthy things, especially when I was feeling down. Grab a handful of candy or some chips and try to drown out the feelings/numb the pain!
I did these things because I thought I was entitled. However, this life/body is not my own. You see, my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit:
“19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
When I choose to eat “junk” food, I am choosing not to honor God with my body. Yes the food may be tasty, and yes I could get a sugar high and experience temporary pleasure, but I was/am only trying to fill a hole with something that only God can fill.
I live in America where I have seemingly endless options of what to eat. I can choose to eat a bunch of junk food and then feel miserable / malnourished, OR, I can choose to eat the healthy stuff and be energized. It is hard, because the junk food is so readily available and requires no preparation vs. the healthy stuff usually has to be cleaned and/or cooked.
Another passage of Scripture that can apply is this: “12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12. Just because it is available and easier does not make it better.
This is also a lesson on self-discipline and sacrifice, neither of which are pleasant or the “normal” thing to do. This reminds me of the verses in Hebrews 12:10b-11 (NIV), which says, “but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
I have to remember that what I want in the long run is worth the sacrifice and self-discipline now. It is the little choices that I make today that will slowly produce the results that I want.
Another thing I am becoming more self-aware about is how I spend my time. Our time really isn’t our own either. I had a lot of “free time” this past weekend and found myself wasting a lot of it playing games, scrolling Facebook, and/or watching Netflix all on my phone. I’m not saying those things are bad, because it was a way for me to REST some, but I probably didn’t need to spend all of the time I did on it doing those things. Halfway through Sunday I realized that this is what I was doing though and so I decided to leave the house and go sit down by the lake to be alone with the Lord. We sat with each other, chatted, and I read some…kind of like a date…it was nice!
My question to you: how do you spend your time? Are you using it wisely? And, how do you REST & Recharge? What does it look like for you? Please comment below or send me a message, I’d love to hear from you!
Keep Lookin’ Up,
Misha
