This lesson has resonated with me a number of times over the weekend because I truly feel quite helpless and starving for Jesus! For quite some time now I have felt very convicted how sinful I am. I have clearly seen the foothold satan has in my life, particularly in regards to eating. I know I am not glorifying God in all that I do.
This lesson was an encouragement to me because it reminded me that God is near me, does not despise me, dwells with me, revives me, esteems me and offers healing...as I humbly approach Him with empty hands.
Emptiness precedes fullness. We cannot receive from God until we have empty hands. He who recornizes he has nothing to offer God will receive everything from God.
A starving heart will give all to have the Bread of Life. It is only the hungry that sense their need of Jesus, not the full. TLT workbook
pg21
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Day 8~The Cross
Overeating is defined as continuing to eat past the point of receving all we need to sustain our lives. TLT pg24
Oooh.... I have gone past the point of satisfying hunger many times based on that definition.
This lesson zones in on how sin separates us from God and how Jesus Christ is the solution to this problem. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for my sin. Thank you, Jesus.
I appreciated the following words...
The purpose of Jesus' death is two-fold: first, that He might remove my sins from me and second, that He might heal me from going astray and bring me back to God. It is GOD'S work to remove our sins from us, it is GOD'S work to heal us from going astray and it is GOD'S work to cause us to return to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. TLT workbook pg25
And then the lesson moves into reflecting on (1) what I used to be, (2) what God has done and (3) what I am now.
(1) I used to be completely undisciplined in my eating. I can remember as a teenager, arriving home after school and digging right into a massive bowl of ice cream. I would sneak food as my cravings would hit. Even within the past couple years I can see myself at the kitchen counter eating cupcake, after cupcake, after cupcake as my cravings seemed insatiable. Sadly, I remember that I VERY rarely experienced true physiological hunger.
(2) God has done a good work in me (and continues!). He has equipped me, strengthened me, convicted me, loved me, shown His mercy and grace to me. He continues to convict me and impresses on me the need for further surrender. As I repented and sought to glorify Him with my eating, turning to His Word for guidance I began to experience hunger regularily throughout each and every day. Thin Within sure helped align my thinking with God's Word, for which I am very thankful. I began to experience real gratitude and appreciation for all the gifts He gives. The tentacle of greed and gluttony began to gradually loosen their grip on my heart. And, all glory be to God, I released over 20 pounds in six months!
(3) Currently I'm still struggling with some roots of greed for food that still remain dug down deep in the soil of my heart. I'm experiencing a level of victory but I see that it is still incomplete. I'm still often serving two master--God and food. So I continue to move forward seeking God in this area of my life.
Probably the most powerful portion of this lesson for me was the following quote...
The reason that we are showing it [overeating] to be a sin is because
we must learn to abhor our sinful eating addictions and habits. We must begin to detest them with all of our being, and to think of them as a sin against our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in order to truly turn away from them and find victory. TLT workbook pg27
Oh how I long to HATE the sin of overeating and eating outside the boundaries of 0-5! I really and truly want to HATE and DETEST that!!!! I don't want to trivialize this sin or make exceptions left right and center!
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Day 9~Living Water
The story of the woman at the well, from John 4, is the main focus of this lesson. I love this story and the picture it paints. This lady needed water and Jesus was there to offer so much more. He doesn't offer a bandaid. He doesn't offer her just a single cup of water. He digs down deep and heals. He offers a never ending, overflowing WELL of LIVING water!!! That's pretty cool!
I know in the past I was looking for that bandaid and that single cup of water. I was not focussing on God as my source of motivation and strength. I was definitely not drinking of the Living Water.
I want this to change...permanently. I want to drink of the Living Water~Jesus.
More of Him. Less of me. May I decrease and Him increase. Amen.
"Overeating is defined as continuing to eat past the point of receving all we need to sustain our lives. TLT pg24" I wonder, just wonder how little food it takes to sustain me. I know even if I stop at 5, that's probably more than I need???
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