Pound cake, cookies, Rice Krispy™ treats, Doritos™ and cream cheese, these are a few of my favorite things. I find that not only are these foods “red light foods” for me, but that they are things that I crave when I want to be comforted.
The truth is, God wants to be the one who offers us comfort. He doesn’t want us to run to a substance; whether it’s food, smoking, drugs, etc. He wants us to run to Him in our time of need. You see, substances only provide temporary relief from our pain. God wants to have the opportunity to heal us from the inside out. However, He can only do this if we let Him.
Romans 3:13-14 says Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
The scripture above says that we should not make provisions for our flesh. So why do we bring our “red light foods” home from the grocery store? Yeah I know, sometimes they seem to do a long jump from the shelf into our shopping carts, but we must take a stand! DON’T MAKE ANY PROVISIONS FOR YOUR FLESH TO OVERINDULGE. Though it may seem like it, your children and spouse won’t die if they don’t have those Oreos™ in their lunch box.
This week, focus on de-cluttering your pantry. Get rid of those items that seem to hinder your success; it’s okay if the package is still half full! Remember, it’s better to waste it now, instead of wearing it later on your waist. Before you go to the grocery store, make a list of just the items you need and don’t purchase any extras. Finally, before you go shopping ask yourself if the items on your list are healthy choices; if not, cross them off your list.
When we depend on God for comfort rather than substances, only then can we truly experience God’s healing. Furthermore, let’s not tempt ourselves by bringing items in our homes that would cause us to sin. After all, just as we wouldn’t allow a ouija board in our homes, we shouldn’t allow foods that would cause us to sin in either.
May you continually run to God’s open arms for comfort rather than food. May you experience His healing touch as you bring your pain to His feet and not the fridge.
In Him, Cicely
