Healthy Eating Habits
Thinking about the topic of pursuing holiness this evening, particularly when it comes to fleeing sin and temptation. A good friend recently explained an incredibly helpful and practical analogy to me last week and I want to share my thoughts about it.
He said the idea of killing sin in our lives, historically known as mortification within Christian theology, is similar to the idea of eating healthy. We have to know our bodies, know what we can and cannot consume, and train ourselves to avoid that which leads to unhealthy eating habits and weight gain. Some people can eat whatever they want, cake, chocolate, icecream, you name it, and they will remain as skinny as a telephone pole. But others will munch on a handful of chocolate chips and either balloon right up or be tempted to eat chocolate chips all day every day.
This is really similar to dealing with our flesh and the battle against sin and temptation. We all have sinful inclinations, ways in which Satan, the world, or our own flesh are particularly prone to sin. For some it involves driving a certain route on their way home from work. Others can be tempted while listening to certain genres of music. Personally, sinful thoughts and desires can come when I find myself alone and tired after a long day or week. Whatever the circumstances are, we all face weakness and are called to turn away from these sinful ways and towards Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
My friend’s analogy hit home when he asked me the question “In what ways do you specifically need to eat healthy in your fight against sin and temptation?” What are situations you must avoid for the sake of holiness and obedience to Christ? What are disciplines you must instill in your life that will help you walk in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of your flesh? For my friend, he avoids being alone in his house, as he knows that circumstance will lead to opportunities for sinful thoughts and behaviors. He also has to be mindful of the media content he consumes, recognizing most explicit material in R rated movies leads his flesh towards sin, rather than towards Christ.
Since hearing this analogy from my friend, I have been writing out a list of all the ways I “eat unhealthy” in my life, and it has been extremely helpful to see where God is calling me to grow and pursue Him with more discipline and intentionality.
To give an example, pertaining to the opportunity of sin when I am alone and tired at the end of the day, I have been more diligent to go to bed at the same time as my wife, rather than staying up to watch TV, play on the computer, or just mindlessly lay on the couch. The act of staying up is not sinful in and of itself, but it is a choice that has led to various opportunities for sin, and is therefore unhealthy to continue as a regular habit. Choosing to go to bed with my wife has not only allowed me to avoid this situation that has been a problem for me in the past, but it also provides an opportunity to serve my wife, who loves when I lay next to her to end our day.
So I ask you the same question: Are there aspects of your life that lead you to gain weight, and what steps can you put in place to remain healthy in your walk with Christ?
PJH
