From about the age of 12, I realized one simple thing: I did not like my body, therefore I would change it. Perfect! I thought...If I don't eat, I lose weight! What a great thing!
SO began my career of the food war.
I was a combat solider at this point, well trained in the art of control, and the learned skill of fighting off temptation, and you guessed it, I'm completely in control.
uh-oh.
That's not how it's supposed to be is it?
In the past few years the Lord has taken me from death to life in my thinking towards my body, and food, and I sincerely thank Him for this. But there is new war waging in the world right now isn't there...
It's the whole new movement of "clean eating.." And this is not in and of itself a bad thing. I like to eat whats good, healthy and organic. But I came to a place last week where I realize I was obsessing. Yes. Believe it or not, control freak that I am, I was spending a lot of time and energy thinking about WHAT myself and my family were and would be eating.
"life is more than food." rang in my head. And I was born not to live enslaved to a particular way of eating.
"But food does not bring us near to God, we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.." 1 Corinthians 8:8
What that verse says to me is this, eat it if you feel peace about eating it, don't eat it if you don't, but it does not bring you closer to God either way. We need food of all kinds to survive, and on some certain occasions, Doritos may be essential for your survival. (seriously)
It's hard to not want to get caught up with the health movement, because I grew up eating healthy, and I love healthy food. But I should not spend all my time and energy agonizing over the food I put in my body. Eat according to what you know is good for you, don't obsess over it, and allow yourself some room to splurge once and awhile.
It's so easy to go down the road of "great, i'll eat what I want, but I exercise like a maniac to make up for the food I ate that I wished I hadn't eaten." Ok, exercise is good too. Making rules for yourself that say what is OK for you and what is not, may be dangerous. I once made a rule for myself that anything under a certain number of calories burned, was not an acceptable workout, and back on the treadmill I'd go. Boy, that sounds fun doesn't it? Yikes.
No, God wants me to be in shape, I do think that He encourages health from the inside out, but putting myself in the bondage and chains of "what a good workout is" is not His idea of freedom in Christ.
Running is fun for me, but when I set rules for myself that I refuse to let myself break, the joy of running disappears instantly.
It matters not what you are, vegan, gluten free, sugar free, clean eater, organic, or chocolate lover, the reality is this, if you feel it drawing you AWAY from Christ, it's a problem. If you feel it's something you enjoy but is not an obsession that I would say your doing things right. If it's getting in between you and Jesus, it's got to go. The problem is, is that we have to eat to survive, so only God can create a healthy view either way.
If you avoid certain places because of the food they will serve you, you may have a problem. But if you know that today you eat, and tomorrow you'll eat what you usually eat, no worries, I'd say your OK.
Man made rules can be bad if they begin to take center stage in your thinking.
Man made rules can be acceptable if they are there, but are just sitting on the sidelines in your thinking.
All my life I have made "rules to live by" for myself. And I have to believe I am not alone in this.
SO here is my convictions that I will share with you, I need balance in all things. Healthy food is good, but it is not GOD. Exercise is good, but it is not GOD. Cleaner foods are to be enjoyed, not obsessed over, (this creates fear of eating not clean things) and also, fear is not from the Lord.)
It's interesting to me because even in Jesus' time there was disputes over if food was "clean" or not, it was over different types of meat and such and this is what sparked Paul to say what he did in the verse I listed above. Really, there is nothing new under the sun, and I do believe if Paul were here today he would say the same thing to us.
I heard it said that we will not hear "Well done good and faithful servant, you ate really clean all your life.." when we enter heaven.
It's a little ouchie isn't it? TO hear this? I mean, we spend a lot of energy focusing on what we put in our body and clearly it is said in the Bible that it doesn't matter what goes in but rather what comes out our mouths...
"What goes into someones mouth does not defile them but what comes out of their mouth that is what defiles them." - Matthew 15:11
Perhaps we should be focusing less on what we chew on, and chew more on where our thoughts are taking us that eventually comes out our mouths in all kinds of profane ways.
Instead, I should be thinking about how to build others up, rather than accuse their eating habits, (and mine) in my heart and head.
Really, who cares anyways right?!
Do what makes your body feel strong, and pray through it the whole time. Dedicate each meal to God as one that you are thankful for, and be a blessing to others around you with the energy you get from that food. This is how it was intended, food for the body, not the body for food.
There's more to life than food, that's why there's food. Get it? Me too...
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