I eat too much.
In the bible, God says “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Overeating cannot be done for the glory of God.
Overeating: eating too much
Too: to a higher degree than is desirable, permissible, or possible; excessively
Those who are God’s elect, God’s saved children are temples of the Holy Spirit.
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” 1 Corinthians 3:16
If I am God’s temple, I need to keep this place clean.
If I am God’s temple, I need to keep this place orderly.
If I am God’s temple, I need to take proper care of myself.
If I am God’s temple, I need to set certain boundaries of where I will go, what I will do, and how I will live.
If I am God’s temple, I need to practice self control on how I treat my body: I need to eat properly.
It’s time. To eat well. To exercise regularly. To get enough sleep.
Being a caregiver has reminded me that routine is good. Routine is healthy. Overeating and then undereating is not healthy.
I’ve realized a few things about food and my body:
Eating empty calories leaves me feeling empty.
Eating big amounts of sugar makes me feel elated and excited at first, and afterwards, depressed. Not because I feel guilty about eating the sugary thing in the first place (though this was definitely me in the past!), but because sugar messes with my hormones, causes major inflammation and screws with my energy levels, sleep schedule and overall mood.
I can’t be the best temple for God’s Holy Spirit when I’m not fueling my temple properly. Not eating right makes me feel lethargic, depressed, and moody.
If my diet isn’t consistent, I won’t be consistent either.
Not eating enough protein makes me feel hungry.
Not sleeping enough makes me feel hungry.
When I am hungry, eating sugary things leaves me feeling empty. It’s good to go for protein, fat, complex carbs, and low amounts of sweets.
Naps are my friend if I don’t get a lot of sleep at night.
Exercising regularly is the key to getting fit and staying fit. It’s unnecessary to do 2 hours of cardio every day. Thirty minutes of cardio a few times a week is sufficient for taking care of one’s temple.
Back to overeating.
It’s been my struggle for so long but each day I gain more control over it. It helps to meal prep. It helps me food journal. It helps to buy food that is good for me, and not buy junk. I like to eat junk every once in a while though and am proud of how far I have come in terms of having enough self control to keep junk around for days and weeks and months on end. (The months part is like caramel squares and chocolate chips for baking, or chocolate bars to give away as gifts etc.). In the past I couldn’t have the stuff around for long. I actually used to keep my chocolate supply in what I called my “bank” and I would leave it in my friend’s room so I wasn’t tempted to eat all of it at night.
Praise God for His teaching me how to have self control through the power of the Holy Spirit. Praise God for granting me a great love and appreciation for food and not being afraid of any foods. Praise God for teaching me how to take better care of this temple, my body, so as to bring glory to Himself. But also, I feel better when I do things His way. When I don’t overeat. When I choose the right foods and eat the right portions. It’s hard, but I’m learning. Praising God for all His good gifts!
If you are struggling with overeating, pray this prayer:
“Dear Lord, please help me take better care of my body, your temple. Please teach me how to eat unto your glory. Help me to choose the right foods when I’m meal planning, shopping, meal prepping, and eating. Help me listen to my body and stop eating when it’s full. Help me ask you what you’ll have me eat before meals. Thank you for caring about the details. Thank you for caring about me. I love Your guidance O Lord, my God!”
xoxo
<3
V
