Day 28, Run Toward What Really Matters

1 Corinthians 6:13, NIV says, “You say, ‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.’”  Food was meant to feed us, strengthen us. It wasn’t made to tear down our health or poison our brains.  Back in the day, when I struggled with binging behavior, my goal wasn’t to disable my health. I was searching for rest, comfort, and peace. 

This essential question can give you so much direction on this journey: What are you running toward? If you are honest, you will find your answer similar to mine. You might even say you are looking for security, acceptance, or control. I love it that God reminds us often that our time here on earth is temporary. It helps us keep things in perspective. It also makes us realize that running after what is real and enduring will give us strength to stay committed. 

Let me show you what this looks like. Towards the end of the school year and the beginning of my summer vacation, I began to graze. I was snacking and eating at random times whether or not I was hungry. I used some other tools to keep my weight in check (Eating lots of fresh fruit and veggies and intermittent fasting) but the grazing was going to start to tell on me sooner or later, especially since the food wasn’t what I was really running to. I was wanting control again. The hectic schedule and the mountain of changes to our family life meant that I felt like I was constantly trying to roll with the punches and couldn’t catch my breath. But, whenever I ate, for a few minutes, I felt in control. However, I was losing control of my habits and it would eventually affect my health. 

Realizing that I was running toward control I had to do two things: take real steps to find routines that would work for our family during the summer and settle into the truth that I live in a world that is under God’s control. As I work on that, I find that my tendency and urge to snack and graze has monumentally decreased. I am still running toward what really matters to me, but I am not running toward a mirage of the solution. 

Journal prompt: When you are tempted to indulge in your unhealthy habit, what are you running toward? How do you want to feel? How are you hoping to show up as a human being? What could you run toward that is healthy that would allow you to reach this goal?

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