Today’s scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
For the last few years at LifeJourney Church, we begin the New Year with a Healthier Living Group. As 2015 began, several of us wanted to start the year off on the right foot, seeking to be healthier, seeking to be more whole in looking at our lives spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. One of the prevalent themes is around food. It’s not just about losing weight or eating more healthily. It’s about figuring out what it is we are eating, and looking inward to understand ourselves more deeply to find what is truly fulfilling. Many of us use food when we are down, frustrated, stressed, and bored; and we even hide when we eat so that others don’t know the bad habits or the binging that takes place. This is really hard stuff! Just telling someone to eat better or giving someone a list of what to eat or not in order to be healthier does nothing for this issue. We used the first verse of today’s passage in one of our meetings: “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”
Food can dominate us when we use it to medicate our feelings or to keep us occupied, or we eat when we aren’t hungry because everyone else around is eating, or we’ve become accustomed to eat and graze all day and not think about it. Food is good for us and food tastes good. Food provides one of the pleasures in life. But when we let it dominate us, we lose control over it. What we think is lawful for us is taking over us. Food can be used to fill spiritual holes: those places that God can fill by using us to do the things that are more fulfilling in our lives; those things God created us to do. We have to do the work, creating the space and doing the self-discovery work that allows ourselves to discover what is fulfilling for us. Discernment, prayer, sharing with others, giving of ourselves to others, and looking inward can help us discover what it is that will fulfill us; the very thing we are using food to do.
One way to overcome this is a principle explained by Dr. Depak Chopra in his book, What Are You Hungry For? He uses an acronym so it is easy to remember. That acronym is STOP.
S — When you want to eat between meals, or just want to eat, or have a craving, STOP what you’re doing.
T — Take a one-minute breathing break. (I suggest saying a breath prayer. Maybe use Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Even today’s verse 12, “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.” It can even be something simple, “God, help me right now in this moment.”) Pay attention to your breathing, and/or say a breath prayer. Center/calm yourself. Use what works for you.
O — Observe your bodily sensations. What is your body telling you? Are you stressed, sad, depressed, anxious, tired, or something else? What are you feeling in your body? What do you observe?
P — Proceed with awareness. If you are hungry, then eat something, and try to be mindful of what is healthier. If it is something else, no need to feed it with food. Allow yourself a time out. Pray, read, take a walk, do a puzzle, continue with what you were doing, etc. Do what works for you.
The value of the book is to work through the issues with food, how it can dominate us, and truly work with the book title, What Am I Hungry For?
STOP! This is not easy. It is a process. You can apply this to other things and not just food. What are you using to fill you when you are down, anxious, or bored?
Even if we give in, practicing STOP helps our awareness. It causes us to think about what we are doing. It can help to change how our mind is working if we keep using the STOP principle. Remember it, think it, and try to do it. Allow it to become part of your thinking when you may be grabbing that bag of chips to feed the anxiety you are feeling.
All things are lawful, but not necessarily beneficial. Is food dominating you? Is it something else? STOP! Use the STOP principle, and be on a journey to discover how God wants you to fill your life.
Thought for the day: What is it that is fulfilling to me? What am I hungry for?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.