"Discipline"--Eating and Drinking

Since 'eating to the glory of God' has been brought to my mind this week, I have been rethinking my eating habits, examining them to see where they are not in line with God's Word.

The Bible has much to say on the subject of eating. The hard part is determining, "How do I mold my habits after the Biblical example?"

Elisabeth Elliot's book Discipline offers a good deal of wise council. Her chapter on the 'discipline of the body' discusses eating habits pretty thoroughly. I would like to share some of her words with you all...

"A body needs food. Food is a question of discipline for us who live in very rich, very civilized, very self-indulgent countries."

"It is significant that only 10 percent of our nation's top executives are overweight. This seems to me to indicate that few men who have not succeeded in curbing the appetite will make it to the top. Physical restraint is basic to power. They do it for power in this world. We do it for power in another."

"Many a Christian has found the hardly hoped-for strength of the Lord when bringing to Him some very real, very difficult physical need. If weight has quite literally become a 'burden,' why should we not bring it to the Lord and ask for His help in overcoming it? Can my will not cooperate with His in this matter as in spiritual matters? For some, fasting might be the place where discipline begins, even if they are not overweight. For others, dieting will be the place, whether it means eliminating junk foods for the sake of sounder health or eliminating calories for the sake of a normal weight. 'You do not belong to yourselves. You were bought at a price. Then honour God in your body.' "

Elliot's main concern is that we acknowledge God's commands in all areas of our lives, not just in the areas that come easily to us.

I imagine for some who read this, the thought of struggling with eating too much or too little or too absent-mindedly is completely foreign. But there are others who are in bondage to food--thinking about it, planning for it, preparing it, lusting after it, etc.

It is important to realize that we can bring our fleshly desires under control, in a Christ-exalting manner, ONLY by the grace of God. What peace and joy comes when we realize the power is in Christ! 'What is impossible with men, is possible with God.' The same power that calls a dead man to life empowers us to shake off sinful habits.

Something that has helped me tremendously is to examine my thoughts. When I find myself thinking a lot about what I am or am not eating, I realize just this: 'I am thinking far too much about a very insignificant thing. How have I let a trivial thing gain a prime position in my thoughts?'

The more we adore our Savior, the more we abide in Him, the more we find our satisfaction in Him, the more like Him we become. The best way to combat the pleasures of sin is to partake in the pleasures of God!