Back in the fall of 1992 I was presented an opportunity to run cross-country for the University of Memphis. I was thrilled as I had no idea how I was going to pay for college, and this opportunity came with a half tuition and books scholarship. As a member of the athletic department I had access to things that other college students didn't have. There was a study hall with private tutors, nutritionists, trainers, physical therapists, etc. The school paid for running shoes, uniform, warm-ups, jacket, etc. and of course a great coach. We had rigorous workouts. Some days our coach had us run sprints, other days long distances, and the occasional weight room workout. She knew how to get her runners in shape.
The Friday before the meet, I remember getting in the school van and traveling, many times out of state. (This is the cross-country team I'm talking about not the football team ... we didn't fly.) When we arrived at the race site that evening our coach would jog through the course with us. Although she didn't have a hand in designing the course she always knew it well ... "This part is flat and fast. This part is downhill, a good place to rest because around the bend is a big hill." She knew all our strengths and weaknesses as runners, and she instructed each of us how to run our best race. Then we would go check into our hotel, grab some dinner, chill out for an hour, and then lights out. Race day was tomorrow!
I learned alot about running in my short and not-so-distinguished collegiate career. However as an adult I look back and see the preparation for running a very different race ... the race of LIFE! You see God is the designer of our race course. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are God's own handiwork recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time ..." Jesus Christ has paid the price for us to be successful. He not only stripped Satan of His power through the work of the cross (Col.2:15), but we have been given ALL things that are suited to life and godliness through Christ who has called us to His own glory (2 Peter1:3). And the Holy Spirit? You guessed it. He's our coach.
I found in running it is easy to trust the creator of the course. It never once crossed my mind to question if the 3 mile course was really 3 miles. I also never questioned all the benefits that came with being a member of the U of M team. But the coach thing ... that was a little more difficult. There were definitely times that I thought our practice distance was too long or the pace was too fast, or that we should get a day off after a long run instead of a day of weight lifting. In fact, "You want us to do WHAT!?! was a common thought in my head. But I did what I was told with occasional doubts and a little bit of an inner mumbling and complaining. In the end it paid off, and I got better and better with every passing race.
Coach Holy Spirit, just like my coach, not only knows us but knows the course God has set before us. "But the Comforter ( Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall everything I have told you. He will guide you into all the Truth. For He will not speak His own message; but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father ... He will give the message that has been given to Him, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come." (John 14:26 & 16:13) Just like my coach would direct us on the best way to run the cross-country course, so does our Heavenly Coach.
About a year ago I decided to get back into running. I won't say it's been fun, but boy has God used it to teach me alot about the spiritual race I am in. Here are just a few parallels of running a physical race and a spiritual race ...
1. Running both races requires DISCIPLINE! This discipline is primarily mental. First and foremost you have to decide you are going to run, and then keep your mind set. ( Col. 3:2) The choice is much more clear cut in a physical race. Spiritually, you may be trying to decide if you're even in a race. Let me help you out. If you are a Christian you have been called to run a faith race of some kind. I love Hebrews 12:1 where Paul tells us "let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us."
2. If you want to be good at running either kind of race, you must be CONSISTENT! There is no such thing as maintaining where you are physically or spiritually. We know this is true physically. If I run 3 miles 5 times this week I will be improving my performance. If I skip running this week my performance will weaken. When I resume running the following week I will not be adding to my prior progress. I will be regaining whatever ground I lost. The same thing can be said of the spiritual race. If we are not actively pursuing a life with Christ and walking in the knowledge we already have, we run the risk of loosing that knowledge too! (Matt. 13:12) As Gloria Copeland says the Lord spoke to her heart ... "In Consistency Lies the Key."
3. Both races require PERSEVERANCE! Let's face it, neither race is easy. How many times in the Bible does God tell us to not fear, be discouraged, give up hope, etc. The Word is chalked full of all those phrases. Keep on keepin' on! "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal ...." (Phil. 3:13-14) PRESSING IS NOT A PASSIVE WORD. IT IS AN ACTIVE WORD! When I am out for a run and am feeling tired, tempted to walk for just awhile I try to push on through. If I have to walk I don't do it for very long. Why? Fellow runners know why. Once you stop running your muscles begin to tighten up. If you wait too long to pick up your pace it will hurt WORSE than before you stopped.
4. A HIGH can be experienced WHILE running either race! Ever heard of runners high? I had only heard about it until I began to train for a half marathon back in my college days. One day I had decided to run 10 miles and somewhere around mile 7 running became effortless, and I experienced this euphoric feeling like I could run forever! It was incredible! We can have the same experience running our spiritual race. I did this past spring. Circumstance wise nothing had changed in my life. In fact my youngest son had been diagnosed with Autism just two months before, but I had reached such an incredible place with God that none of that mattered, so much so that I seriously began to wonder what was wrong with me that I wasn't worried! Isaiah 40:31 paints a beautiful picture of the believer who is waiting, looking, hoping, and expecting the Lord. They "shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up close to God as eagles mount up to the sun." Do you know that the eagle is the only bird who doesn't hide when a storm is coming? All other birds seek shelter under bad weather conditions. Do you know what the eagle does? It flies so high that it rises above the storm clouds where the sun is shining bright. The storm is still raging but the eagle is enjoying clear skies!
However, there is one big difference between these two races. You see, there is only one winner that wins a physical race, but in a spiritual race there is only one runner. Just you. There is no comparing because no two people run the same course. If you have never run an actual race let me tell you something, there is nothing worse than finishing a race and realizing you still have "gas in the tank." That you could have run harder. That you could have done better. Let me assure you, you will finish your race someday. We all will, but will you be satisfied with your performance? Will you know you went all out and ran it to the best of your ability? Will you hear the words, "Well done my good and faithful servant"? I can think of nothing sweeter! At the end of our race we will not be given a trophy because we ARE the trophy - Christ's trophy! (2 Cor. 2:14) Instead we will be given crowns that we will cast at His feet knowing He is the reason we crossed the finish line in victory! (1 Cor. 9:25, Rev. 4:10)
Friday, September 28, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Emotional Eating
Food. It seems like a relatively simple topic, right? Not for the person dealing with emotional eating. For them, it is the furthest thing from simple. I too have had my own bout with emotion driven eating. As I was preparing for a support group meeting dealing with "Taking Care of the Caregiver" my first thought was to zero in on 1 Cor. 6:19&20. But truthfully most Christians know their bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, that they are not their own because they have been purchased at a price. So the question is where is the breakdown? How do we get from knowing the truth to living the truth?
Let's start from the beginning. We are a spirit. We have a soul. We live in a body. Our soul is made up of our mind, our will, and our emotions. This is the primary place of attack for the enemy. You see after we receive Christ our SPIRIT is born again, but our soul (mind, will, & emotions) then has to be renewed. This process is called sanctification and unlike salvation, which is instantaneous, sanctification happens little by little changing us from glory to glory. Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the entire renewal of your mind ..."
Our spirit is what connects us to God. Genesis 2:7 tells us God "breathed into his (Adam's) nostrils the breath or spirit of life." If you read through creation in Genesis you will see that man is the only being God created in this manner. That is why you could pack an arena with animals and have Billy Graham give the gospel's saving message and not one of those animals would come forward to receive Christ. They are not connected with His spirit ... man is. Man was God's crowning achievement crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5). God is a spirit, and we were made in the likeness and image of Him (John 4:24, Gen. 1:26).
Our body is an earthly vessel or home for our soul and spirit. The process of renewing our soul to the things of the spirit takes place in the body, so doesn't it make sense that our body will either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences? In fact the word "transformation" is derived from the Greek word we get the term "metamorphosis." Think about the metamorphosis that a tad pole or a caterpillar goes through ... changing from the inside out. And then there is the change that comes from just being in the presence of God. Look at both Moses and Jesus encounter with God. (Ex. 34:29/Matt. 17:2) What was the outward physical manifestation of these encounters? They GLOWED! Paul wraps up his letter to the Thessalonians saying "And may the God of peace Himself sanctify (the renewal process) you through and through ... separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God ... and may your SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved sound and complete and found blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thes. 5:23)
Spirit, soul, and body are very closely linked. Whatever is being experienced in one area will have an affect on the other areas. You have no doubt experienced this yourself. Have you ever read a great book or listened to a motivational speaker and all of a sudden your up, your motivated, you have energy to conquer the world! Have you ever watched a sad movie or talked with a friend who is going through a horrible tragedy and now your down, your sad, and so tired you can't clean your house. It happens to us all. The good news is when you strive to make improvement in any one area it affects the other two. But whether changes are made for the good or the bad they tend to have a snowball effect. One good and healthy decision will give way to another one or vice verse.
What does any of this have to do with emotional eating, you might ask? Here is a clue. Which part of our being is made up of our emotions? If you said "soul," you are right. Those who fight emotional eating already know it's not a need to eat in order to sustain life but to help deal with life! The mistake is that we are trying to apply what is meant for the body to the soul, and we are faced with the reality that it doesn't work. Do you know what I'm talking about? Eating that Snickers or ice cream or fast food and finding you feel no different when you are done, other than now you're probably feeling guilty too!
I know in my own struggle those feelings of guilt didn't come right away. I was trucking along doing my thing when all of a sudden the guilt came every time I indulged. Over time the feeling intensified. Satan was really beating me up, or so I thought. Then I finally realized it was the Holy Spirit convicting me of what I was doing. Remember He is the teacher, guider, and COMFORTER of our soul. My emotional or soul need should have led me to my emotional helper, my soul guider, my comforter ... not to a Snickers bar. (I know they say it satisfies but let's face it, there are somethings it can't satisfy.) Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 6:12 began to speak to me "Everything is permissible for me; but not all things are helpful. Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under it's power." Who do I want to have power over me? Anything we place before God to cope with life we have given power to and become idolaters toward. No matter how you dice it, that is sin.
I am convinced God knew we would deal with emotional eating. Here are just a few scriptures to back that up ...
1. "And I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you." Psalms 63:5
2. "For He satisfieth the longing soul, and the hungry soul with goodness." Psalm 107:8
3. "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And you labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." Isaiah 55:2
4. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matt.5:6
Amazing how food and hunger are equated with the soul here and NOT the body. These scriptures (and many more) clearly show us that a truly satisfied and fulfilled soul is found only in Him. All those times we reach for a treat to make us happy, fill the sadness, and reward ourselves for a hard day; we are reaching for a physical solution to a spiritual problem. We are trying to use food to do something for us that only God can do. No wonder it doesn't work. In fact food can be a stumbling block. It doesn't take long to find situations in the Bible where food contributed to downfall. Adam and Eve caused sin and death to enter the world by eating an apple. Esau sold his birth right to Jacob over a meal of red lentils and bread. The Israelites became tired of manna and actually contemplated going back to a life of slavery in Egypt for fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic ... too bad they didn't have 1 Cor. 6:12!
So now what? Now that you see emotional eating for what it is, what should you do? Let me tell you what you shouldn't do. The absolute worst thing you could do is try to overcome this on your own, or you will become more frustrated. "Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts." (Zec. 4:6) What you should do is pray about it. Lift it before your loving Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and guide you in being transformed in this area. Let Him lead you in walking in the spirit so you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). You can do it and all the while get all the comfort you need.
*I've never done this before, but just like with my support group I am going to give you a challenge. They say it takes 30 days to break a bad habit and establish a good one so for the next month I encourage you to keep a record of what you are doing to care for yourself. It can be physically, spiritually, or emotionally. (Ex. Took a walk, daily devotional, talked with an old friend). Remember your choices have a snowball affect and all three areas are connected so whatever good, positive, healthy decisions you make in one area will extend to the others. Use your journal to not only keep up with what you are doing but how you are feeling about the change and how God is helping you. He is FAITHFUL and you will be amazed at the work He does in you after 30 days! God Bless!
Let's start from the beginning. We are a spirit. We have a soul. We live in a body. Our soul is made up of our mind, our will, and our emotions. This is the primary place of attack for the enemy. You see after we receive Christ our SPIRIT is born again, but our soul (mind, will, & emotions) then has to be renewed. This process is called sanctification and unlike salvation, which is instantaneous, sanctification happens little by little changing us from glory to glory. Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the entire renewal of your mind ..."
Our spirit is what connects us to God. Genesis 2:7 tells us God "breathed into his (Adam's) nostrils the breath or spirit of life." If you read through creation in Genesis you will see that man is the only being God created in this manner. That is why you could pack an arena with animals and have Billy Graham give the gospel's saving message and not one of those animals would come forward to receive Christ. They are not connected with His spirit ... man is. Man was God's crowning achievement crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5). God is a spirit, and we were made in the likeness and image of Him (John 4:24, Gen. 1:26).
Our body is an earthly vessel or home for our soul and spirit. The process of renewing our soul to the things of the spirit takes place in the body, so doesn't it make sense that our body will either reap the benefits or suffer the consequences? In fact the word "transformation" is derived from the Greek word we get the term "metamorphosis." Think about the metamorphosis that a tad pole or a caterpillar goes through ... changing from the inside out. And then there is the change that comes from just being in the presence of God. Look at both Moses and Jesus encounter with God. (Ex. 34:29/Matt. 17:2) What was the outward physical manifestation of these encounters? They GLOWED! Paul wraps up his letter to the Thessalonians saying "And may the God of peace Himself sanctify (the renewal process) you through and through ... separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God ... and may your SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved sound and complete and found blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thes. 5:23)
Spirit, soul, and body are very closely linked. Whatever is being experienced in one area will have an affect on the other areas. You have no doubt experienced this yourself. Have you ever read a great book or listened to a motivational speaker and all of a sudden your up, your motivated, you have energy to conquer the world! Have you ever watched a sad movie or talked with a friend who is going through a horrible tragedy and now your down, your sad, and so tired you can't clean your house. It happens to us all. The good news is when you strive to make improvement in any one area it affects the other two. But whether changes are made for the good or the bad they tend to have a snowball effect. One good and healthy decision will give way to another one or vice verse.
What does any of this have to do with emotional eating, you might ask? Here is a clue. Which part of our being is made up of our emotions? If you said "soul," you are right. Those who fight emotional eating already know it's not a need to eat in order to sustain life but to help deal with life! The mistake is that we are trying to apply what is meant for the body to the soul, and we are faced with the reality that it doesn't work. Do you know what I'm talking about? Eating that Snickers or ice cream or fast food and finding you feel no different when you are done, other than now you're probably feeling guilty too!
I know in my own struggle those feelings of guilt didn't come right away. I was trucking along doing my thing when all of a sudden the guilt came every time I indulged. Over time the feeling intensified. Satan was really beating me up, or so I thought. Then I finally realized it was the Holy Spirit convicting me of what I was doing. Remember He is the teacher, guider, and COMFORTER of our soul. My emotional or soul need should have led me to my emotional helper, my soul guider, my comforter ... not to a Snickers bar. (I know they say it satisfies but let's face it, there are somethings it can't satisfy.) Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 6:12 began to speak to me "Everything is permissible for me; but not all things are helpful. Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under it's power." Who do I want to have power over me? Anything we place before God to cope with life we have given power to and become idolaters toward. No matter how you dice it, that is sin.
I am convinced God knew we would deal with emotional eating. Here are just a few scriptures to back that up ...
1. "And I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you." Psalms 63:5
2. "For He satisfieth the longing soul, and the hungry soul with goodness." Psalm 107:8
3. "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And you labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." Isaiah 55:2
4. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matt.5:6
Amazing how food and hunger are equated with the soul here and NOT the body. These scriptures (and many more) clearly show us that a truly satisfied and fulfilled soul is found only in Him. All those times we reach for a treat to make us happy, fill the sadness, and reward ourselves for a hard day; we are reaching for a physical solution to a spiritual problem. We are trying to use food to do something for us that only God can do. No wonder it doesn't work. In fact food can be a stumbling block. It doesn't take long to find situations in the Bible where food contributed to downfall. Adam and Eve caused sin and death to enter the world by eating an apple. Esau sold his birth right to Jacob over a meal of red lentils and bread. The Israelites became tired of manna and actually contemplated going back to a life of slavery in Egypt for fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic ... too bad they didn't have 1 Cor. 6:12!
So now what? Now that you see emotional eating for what it is, what should you do? Let me tell you what you shouldn't do. The absolute worst thing you could do is try to overcome this on your own, or you will become more frustrated. "Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts." (Zec. 4:6) What you should do is pray about it. Lift it before your loving Heavenly Father and ask for forgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and guide you in being transformed in this area. Let Him lead you in walking in the spirit so you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). You can do it and all the while get all the comfort you need.
*I've never done this before, but just like with my support group I am going to give you a challenge. They say it takes 30 days to break a bad habit and establish a good one so for the next month I encourage you to keep a record of what you are doing to care for yourself. It can be physically, spiritually, or emotionally. (Ex. Took a walk, daily devotional, talked with an old friend). Remember your choices have a snowball affect and all three areas are connected so whatever good, positive, healthy decisions you make in one area will extend to the others. Use your journal to not only keep up with what you are doing but how you are feeling about the change and how God is helping you. He is FAITHFUL and you will be amazed at the work He does in you after 30 days! God Bless!
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