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“For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.” – Psalm 81:10
Who or what do you go to when you feel empty? Do you run to the carton full of ice-cream after your boyfriend or girlfriend breaks up with you? Do you justify eating a whole box of cookies because you got a bad grade on a test? Do you find yourself always running towards the pantry at every slight inconvenience that occurs in your life?
Gluttony isn’t talked about much in the church; it seems to be an unspoken rule to just not mention that there is anything wrong with it. I mean, it does seem like there are worse things to run to when you feel sad, lost and empty; however, no matter what you try to fill your heart with, if it’s not God, then you will always be hungry.
Lysa TerKeurst said it best in her book, Made to Crave, “God made us to crave—to desire eagerly, want greatly and long for Him. But Satan wants to do everything possible to replace our craving for God with something else.”
Are you desperately trying to fill a canyon-sized hole in your heart with food? Do you constantly go through that cycle of craving something, indulging in it, then beating yourself up about it afterward? It’s a cycle I know all too well and it’s a game that the enemy loves to play with us. He will give us a craving, then a justification for it and once we eat it, he will make us feel bad about it afterward.
What if we went to God with our cravings first, instead of running to the nearest store for a box of cinnamon buns? What if you asked God to fill you with His love, strength, and grace? Would you then be less inclined to eat until you’re filled temporarily and more apt to choose a healthier option? One that will honor God and your body?
The Bible is filled with countless stories of people struggling with Gluttony. In fact, in Exodus 17:1-7, the people of Israel wrestled with God when they were tired and hungry in the wilderness:
“Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
Even the people of Israel, who saw God work miracles and lead them out of Egypt were complaining because of their cravings for food and drink.
What happened to them? They ended up walking in the wilderness for 40 years until they were completely reliant on the Lord, not other things.
Sometimes being reliant on the Lord means forgoing certain things. For me, it’s cookies and chips. For you, it may be food, coffee, shopping, etc. It’s worth it to give up that one little thing, in order to receive the gift of Christ and the peace that comes with growing closer to Him.
Craving things are not bad; however, when it rises above God, that’s when it becomes an issue. He made us to crave and desire Him. Colossians 3:1-2 states, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Take the first step today to turn to God and ask Him for the strength to completely surrender whatever is holding you back from being closer to Him. The more you rely on Him, the easier it will be to turn to Him in times of struggle, not food.
Grand Canyon University is committed to following the Lord in all circumstances. If you would like to learn more about GCU’s Christian identity and heritage or would like to read more devotionals please visit our website and check out the GCU Blog.
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