Friday, January 31, 2014

Made To Crave Day 13

Made to Crave Chapter 6 Growing Closer to God.

1. What is your response to the idea that we grow closer to God when we deny ourselves something that is permissible but not beneficial? Have you ever had an experience of denying yourself that helped you to grow closer to God? Do you believe this could be true for you in your battle with food?
As soon as I heard this statement I agreed with it. The one time I felt closest to God was when I spent 6 months in Guatemala. While there we had limited computer time, limited phone time and I didn't see my family for months. I decided myself things that were permissible but not beneficial and my spiritual life flourished because of that. I can already see and feel this being true for my food journey. I spend a lot more time in prayer and talking to God about life. The music I want to listen to is changing, I can see God in more situations... it's been amazing!

2. Are there areas of life in which you experience self-control and feel that your self-discipline and wise choices honour God? For example, in your spending decisions or how you manage your time? What insights about your strengths in those areas might help you to honour God and grow in self-control with your food choices?
I am an organized person, I like to have my house tidy and know what's going on daily in my life. I love organization, really... I'm not anal just like to be organized! I do think this honours God as it allows me to focus on other more important things.   

3. Have you ever had the experience of the Holy Spirit nudging you in connection with your food choices? If so, what was that like? If not, how do you hope the Holy Spirit might help you now?
Many times, it's usually just a nudge, a thought that slips into my head. Sometimes it tells me should you be eating that? is that right? That sort of thing. It's really wonderful knowing that those times I forget or I'm not strong enough God will remind me and help me say no.  

4. As Christians, our calling - and our source of spiritual nourishment - is to do God's will and finish His work (John 4:34). To what degree have consuming thoughts about food impacted your ability to pursue your calling and receive spiritual nourishment?

5. Would you say you are spiritually well fed, spiritually malnourished or somewhere in between? Have you ever tried to use food to satisfy your feelings of spiritual hunger? What was the result?
I would say I'm recovering from spiritual malnourishment. I've really allowed food to get between me and God. He would remind me that I needed to change so I turned my back on him. Then I just wanted him to fix my problem... didn't quite work that way but he worked it out and changed my heart. I used food to satisfy my soul for half my life that I can recall. The result, a horrible relationship with Christ and food. Disliking who I am physically and Spiritually dead.  

6. If we find certain foods impossible to walk away from, this is a clue that we are being ruled by food on some level. Are there foods you can't or won't deny yourself in order to make a healthier choice? why are these foods especially important to you? What thoughts and feelings arise when you think about potentially giving them up?
I have had to work through this over the past 2 weeks and I haven started to deny myself many of those things I couldn't say no to before. It's been very freeing being able to walk away from those things. To see them and not need them. 

Victory:
Down 3lbs this week!
Still on plan even after a really tough thursday!

Verse of the day:
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23



Prayer:
Lord, I thank you that you brought me through yesterday. Lord, please give me that same grace today. Please keep reminding me that this is for a bigger cause then smaller pants. Lord, I thank you that you are always ready to teach me and that you are helping me to really understand. I pray Lord, that as I continue to sacrifice food I would continue to know you more. That you would become more real to me. Lord, help me to carry  the burdens you have allowed me and to grow into a stronger person in you because of them. Lord I pray as I go to mom and dad's for dinner that I would be able to resist the temptation of the things I shouldn't be eating and that I would stick to the correct amount of the things I should. Lord, please help me to be self controlled and relying on you. Lord, reveal yourself to me through this journey. Amen

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