Day 10: Jesus, Our Hunger Satisfied

I joined my church in a fast in January. During the fast, I was 100% committed. I even exercised every day of the fast, which was a shock to me as well.  Going into the fast, I figured that I would skip at least one day, especially when it came to exercise; however, I managed to fulfill my commitment. As a result of the fast, I lost about 10 pounds. That was not my intent, but it was a by-product of a healthy lifestyle.   

When I went to the doctor last week and was weighed, I noticed that I’d gain a few pounds. I felt convicted as I thought of the chocolate bar I’d just eaten at work. Then, I thought of all the times I tried to eat better since the fast. No matter what, I just couldn’t retain the same level of commitment I had during the fast. 

In John 4:32,34, Jesus said to the disciples, “I have food to eat that you do not know about… My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.” As I was pondering the text, I thought of my struggles with healthy eating. I know part of it was that I did the fast in community. One thing my church is great at doing is motivating us to do things in community. So, it is as no surprise that I did well with the January fast. 

While being in community is important, my inability to commit to a healthy eating after the fast pointed to a larger issue for me. Food was still controlling me. My relationship to food is directly proportional to the amount of control God has in my life. The times when I am locked into God’s will and trusting God step by step, food is more fuel than gluttony. When I am doing my own thing apart from God or lack faith in God’s plan for my life, food is more gluttony than fuel. It is just that simple. The solution is simple as well. I must be like Jesus and make doing God’s will a priority over eating. I must trust that God is stronger than any plate set before me. 

Today, as you reflect, is there anything controlling your life that may point to you being out of God’s control?