Every “BODY” Matters

/ Scarlettroad

Preparing for another “dairy, sugar” fast has me typing out goals for victory!

  1. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY
  2. Ask someone to commit to doing this fast with me!
  3. Before getting out of bed in the morning, rehearse in my mind what I will eat/drink
  4. Keep a “12 hour fast” from 6:30 AM-6:30 PM (sometimes I make it to 14 hours) but I generally never eat past 6:00 PM (sometimes earlier)
  5. Have a notebook handy, make a list of what I can eat; journal- write out a pledge, and record progress each day
  6. Pull out “the readers” and READ labels while grocery shopping
  7. DRINK WATER throughout the day!
  8. Ask God to forgive me when I give in to cravings and begin again!

Preparing also has me reviewing Gary Thomas’s book, Every BODY Matters: Strengthening Your Body to Strengthen Your Soul.

Let me share some wise quotes from the book that really helped me in the way I view my cravings/addictions:

“. . . I go to war against gluttony and indulgence, not because I want God to love me more, but because God, who already loves me perfectly, warns me that gluttony and excess are my enemies [Proverbs 23:19-21; Proverbs 23:2; Proverbs 25:27 (a verse just for me); Proverbs 28:7; 1 Corinthians 10:31] – regardless of how good they may sometimes feel. I go to war against gluttony, not to build a body that others admire, but to maintain a soul ‘prepared to do any good work’ that God can use to bless others. I go to war against gluttony because those who have walked closely with God warn me that overeating dulls me to God’s . . . presence, makes me more vulnerable to other sins, negatively affects my relationships with other people, and robs me of the joy rightfully mine as an adopted, deeply loved, and accepted child of God.”

So spiritually speaking, food can become our god! Gary Thomas applies:

“. . . The challenge we face plays directly into our sin nature, which is naturally disposed toward comfort and ease and naturally inclined against sacrifice or denial of any kind.”

And not unexpectedly, he added, “. . . some studies have shown that snacking is the downfall of many Americans.”

Food is a gift from God to be enjoyed, but not to take the place He rightfully should possess. We need to be a people that go to “War” against anything that takes God’s place in our lives. So, another step would be to ask God to forgive us when we fall to temptation and overindulge.

Preparing has me grocery shopping as well!

Is there a verse in the Bible that helps you focus on the Creator more than what He has created?

Hebrews 12, From the Amplified Version: “…stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus…” verses 1b-2a.

Let me know if this post encouraged you today; Praying for you! Scarlett ❤

3 thoughts on “Every “BODY” Matters”

  1. Every body matters, both in the treatment of my own body and spiritually in that every body matters to God. Thanks Scarlett Road.

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