Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Psalm 107:8-9 NLT
One of the lessons I have learned in life is the management of my natural appetites. The consequences have been positive externally through losing weight and internally in feeling much more as though I order my lifestyle choices rather than the appetites that seek to drive my behaviours. I used to comfort eat. Something within me demanded that I service an inner craving, and I was able to justify it. Looking back at photos of myself, I am shocked to observe just how overweight I was. More shocking was the fact that I never acknowledged that reality back then. I was blind.
God opened the eyes of my heart before he opened my natural eyes to the realities of my weight. I had to acknowledge the appetites that fought for my attention and drove my behaviour. I had to become thankful for God’s good purpose in my life and learn to serve God with my lifestyle choices. I grew to thank God that restraint was part of his purpose for me.
In exercising restraint, I was choosing to be generous to myself, my family and indeed one might also include society. I took responsibility for my well-being as a part of my active discipleship in pursuit of God. I took action, one consequence of which was to improve my health through weight loss and eating a healthier diet. This meant I was more likely to be available longer to my family and demand less from our NHS service.
Taking personal responsibility to manage ourselves is an act of generosity freely offered, if not widely known, for the benefit of many people. I know that I have grown in self-esteem and self-confidence knowing that I need no excuses to justify poor personal habits and behaviour.
QUESTION
What appetites or behaviours are you not in control of?
PRAYER
Help me to honestly assess myself. I want to take responsibility and, with your help, break free from the appetites that control me.
Photo above – The Cavehill looking towards Belfast
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