Give us this day our daily bread. Even the Lord’s Prayer acknowledges that food comes from God. Do we eat with that awareness? Every time we eat, it’s an opportunity to show God what’s in our heart–a desire to obey and focus on Him satisfying our hunger.
The choice is simple: Do I eat with a self-centeredness to feed my appetite and belly and overeat like the Israelites? Or eat just what I need?
Every day, I have the opportunity to approach food with an attitude of contentment and gratitude, eating to satisfy my hunger rather than my appetite. That means I wait until I actually experience hunger before I eat. For me, that means I wait for an actual growl. For my husband, he knows when he’s hungry without the growl.
Why wait for the growl? Because for me, after 40 years of not being able to conquer this issue, I don’t trust my flesh, my senses, my appetite, my “hunger.” I’m very aware that I have triggers (like stress, anxiety, boredom, memories) that will make me want to eat. Just the other day at work, I got a little stressed and said to my friend, “now I want to eat something” and she said “me too.” But I wasn’t experiencing physical hunger so I didn’t eat.
For me, I have to wait for that physical “empty tank” feeling so I don’t eat for the wrong reasons.
“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” Philippians 3:18-19
Every day I have the opportunity to eat to satisfy my hunger instead of my appetite. To do otherwise means that my mind is set on earthly things and I am an enemy of the cross.
Ecclesiastes 10:16-17 says “woe to you if your princes feast in the morning–instead of eating at the APPROPRIATE time…for strength (hunger)…and not for drunkenness (appetite).”
The right reason to eat? Physical nourishment, not meeting emotional needs. Not seeking the food high. And there is a food high. If I’m looking to food to meet my emotional needs instead of God, I am like an addict seeking a fix.
Using physical hunger as my gauge helps me stay true to eating for strength and not drunkenness. Ask God to show you what real physical hunger feels like for you…and then wait for that signal that it’s time to eat.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
