Food and Lust; Lust and Food

Recently, I've been practicing some bad eating habits. I was eating a lot and a lot of stuff that's not very good for me. What made me change my habits was when I stepped on the scale and it read 150 lbs. So I have been substituting granola bars and raisins for twinkies and such other things that aren't any better for me. And I've been drinking a lot more water and Crystal Light instead of sweet tea and sodas.

Also at lunch, I've been trying to cut back and not eat as much. So I haven't got a Rice Crispie treat in awhile and I haven't been getting two entrees as much. But, I have noticed that I'll go through the line first with a regular lunch and I'll think to myself, "I'm doing good and I'm not going to get any more." Well, I always end up getting more no matter what. I've realized that it's when I think I'm doing good that I'm the weakest.

Now, what does this have to do with lust? Well, I've figured out through my quiet times in the morning that when I pray, I pray that God will help me with my fight with lust. At the beginning of the day, I'll be doing great, bouncing my eyes and not thinking dirty thoughts. I'll say to myself, "I'm doing great today." And that's when I start sneaking longer glances and by the end of the day, I'll be daydreaming in class about things I shouldn't be.

What does the Bible have to say about this? Proverbs 16:18 says: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." You see, it's when we start saying, "I'm doing great today" that we begin to fall back into that sin. The problem with that statement is that it doesn't say anything about God! Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me." We can't boast in what we've done. Romans 15:18 (NLT) says, "Yet I dare not baost about anything except what Christ has done through me..." We can't boast in anything except what Christ has done through us.

I think we all need to work on this. I know I do. We need to remember that it is by the hand of God that we even take our next breath and that the sun comes up every morning. I hope this is encouraging.

In Christ,
Nathan