When I’m bored, I drink. When I’m tired, I drink. When I’m sad, I drink. When I’m happy, I drink. When I get together with my friends, I drink.
Many of you reading this might think I’m an alcoholic and need to get some help. It would be best if I were to be intentional about changing this aspect of my life. But, what if we replace the work drink with eat? How many of us are guilty of this? Some people might realize that I have a problem with food. But if I’m thin, this would likely be something that many people wouldn’t think about. Gluttony: over-indulgence, or overconsumption. Gluttony is known as one of the seven deadly sins. It is mentioned in both the Old and New Testament.
I am a recovering glutton. I have always been on the thin side and looked healthy, but I was one of those people who could eat what they want and it didn’t seem to matter. So, I did. For years, I ate what I wanted, when I wanted, and how much of it that I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t gorging on Twinkies all day, but two pieces of cake? Yes, please!
Within a year of my first child being born, she was diagnosed with severe food allergies. I had been through nursing school and learned the medical end of disease, but it wasn’t until the food allergy diagnosis that I really started reading about and studying nutrition in depth. What I learned not only convinced me to change my lifestyle, but also my career.
As Christians, we are often intentional about areas in our lives that we know are important. Our walk with God, marriage, parenting, and education are all areas that we need to be intentional to be successful. Can I challenge you with a thought?
God cares a lot about your health and wants you to be intentional about it.
Many chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer can be caused by diet and lifestyle choices. I think that we as Christians really need to take responsibility for our health and be intentional about the choices that we make in regards to our health. I believe that we can best serve when we take the time to make good choices for our health. We will be more capable of serving our families and others when we are healthy and vibrant.
- How can you be your best for God if you aren’t at your best?
- Have you ever struggled with overeating?
- Do you think it really matters to God if we make healthy choices?