Does this phrase sound familiar to you? Whether it's an excuse regarding our diet, exercise or _______, this phrase likely cycles through our lives on a regular basis. In a recent devotional about food and cravings, I read that we are made to crave, so it's not necessarily a bad thing! However, God created us to crave more of Him instead of the physical pleasures of this world.
Here's a snippet from the devotional...
...on a Saturday morning, I head down to the kitchen vowing to do better, eat healthier, and make good choices, only to have my resolve melt like the icing on the cinnamon rolls my daughter pulls from the oven. So I conclude the weekend is the worst time to begin eating healthier and tell myself "I'll start again on Monday."
However, I find myself nagged by the subtle feeling of defeat, disappointment, and frustration. This crushing cycle of powerlessness that I've come to hate continues. I don't know about you, but I don't want to wander around on a fruitless path unable to enter into the abundant life God has for me.
Today I challenge you to start a new cycle of making God your focus, rather than food. Each time you crave something you know isn't part of your plan, use that craving as a prompting to pray...
God gave us the gift of prayer to turn our times of desperation into relationship opportunities with Him. This cycle is far more promising than distancing ourselves from His goodness with our own sense of self-loathing and defeat.
For example, when we make God our focus, we can wake up in the morning and say "God, I want a biscuit this morning. Instead, I'm eating poached eggs. I'm thankful for these eggs, but I'll be honest in saying my cravings for other things are hard to resist. But instead of wallowing in what I can't have, I'm making the choice to celebrate what I can have. What better way to live than full in today - rather than always looking to start over on Mondays!
If you are struggling with inconsistent, unhealthy eating habits, you can break the "I’ll start again Monday" cycle" and enter into the abundant life that God has for you! Take it one step at a time - one day at a time. Be honest about your struggles, power through those cravings and choose to celebrate what you can have. You can do this! I'm here to help so please don't be afraid to reach out.