Monday, May 12, 2014

What idol?

I love sugar! No, I mean I REALLY LOVE sugar! When I was in first grade or so, I used to come to the dinner table every night and ask how much "good food" (that is, nutritious food to fuel my body) I had to eat before I could have dessert. My favorite thing about potlucks at church was that, when I was old enough to fix my own plate, I could get as much dessert as I wanted. And I loved going to buffet-style restaurants with my grandparents because after I finished my meal, I could go fill another plate with sweetness.

Well, several years, and a few babies later, my sugar addiction had caught up with me, and I was noticeably overweight, and displeased with my reflection. So I began the process of trying to shed some pounds. The first couple weeks were INCREDIBLY difficult as my body rebelled against the removal of the sugar from my diet. But as the weeks passed, and I learned the diet system I'd chosen, I was able to get my sugar fix fairly easily and still lose weight. Basically I organized my life around getting the amount of sweets I wanted, by exercising more, and switching out some of the more "expensive" foods in my diet in favor of more dessert.

This year I've gained back a few pounds. But I've also been really wrestling with the concept that I need to be a faithful steward of the body God has given me, in conjunction with faithfulness in other areas of my life. I get so frustrated when I can't eat what I want. However, I realize that certain eating habits, namely overindulgence in sugar, are NOT being faithful. At which point, the Lord showed me that I had made an idol of sugar. I had organized my life around getting sugar. And sugar is most definitely NOT worthy of my worship. So I'm on a sugar fast. And when the cravings hit (and they're doing it OFTEN) I am praying that the Lord will teach me to want Him most of all.

And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:1-3
 

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
 

It is the LORD your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you-- for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God--lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 6:13-15
 

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
Matthew 22:37-38


If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:1-5

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