 Recently I took on a challenge to significantly cut down gluten and coffee in my daily diet *GASP* !! With discovering that I have endometriosis, and that having babies is good for endometriosis, I realized that I’ve needed to make some changes to help my health in the long term (and hopefully help my womb be baby ready). 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.” Whenever I have thought about this verse in the past, I rarely would think about what I was eating or drinking for God’s glory (funny enough, since it says those things specifically should be thought of too). But once you take something out that you REALLY REALLY like, you tend to need more of a heart check! The days I do best when I’m being tempted to eat regular bread and noodles, or the days I smell coffee and my brain tells me I need it, are the days I remember that God is better than gluten and coffee. I’m not feeling as hungry as I usually do, nor do I want to eat as much at meals. I have noticed that I am more focused in discipleship appointments than I have ever been. I have more energy throughout the day and I don’t crash by 1pm. I was contributing these wonderful side effects to cutting out significant amounts coffee and gluten. But I was convicted this morning thinking about all the things that aren’t about me. I’m attributing these things to my own abilities, to the lack of something instead of to the ONE who replaced the things I took out. The mornings I felt weak to want to eat a blueberry bagel and follow it with a couple mugs of black coffee, I turned to God to be everything I needed for that day. And then GOD showed up! "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 When we rely on God over gluten, coffee, bad test results, a day at work, cleaning the house – whatever it may be – God is faithful to come through our weaknesses and show how He is all we need. Surrendering something over to God should never be about us – it should always be about Him! We shouldn’t give something up simply for our health. Not saying we shouldn’t take care of our bodies – it is good to do so and should be done!! But our intentions should be because we want to trust and rely more on God than whatever is holding us back from trusting Him. If it benefits our bodies as well, then great! Dear Lord Jesus, I admit that I don’t think about how I can glorify you in whatever I do or don’t eat or drink. Forgive me for my lack of faith in the times I want to eat or drink anything that is for myself and for selfish reasons. Help me to surrender the things in my life that are holding me back from trusting and relying on You. Help me to sacrifice for YOUR glory, regardless if it benefits me in the ways I think it should or not. Show me every day how whatever I eat, drink, or whatever I do is not about me, but IS about you. In Your name I pray.  Check out the rest of the Not About Me November Series  About Leah Leah works with Master Plan Ministries at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Other than watching college students' lives change, she enjoys getting her mind blown by God and His Word, watching sci fi, baking cupcakes, and spending time with her hunky husband. Want to read more from this contributor? Put her name in the search box at the top.
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4 Comments
Amy
11/15/2013 03:33:54 am
Just what I needed to read. Thank you! :)
Kristine
11/25/2013 08:08:41 pm
Thank you - I have been struggling with gluten and my weight - this reminded me to focus more on giving God glory and letting him help me choose food that is good for me. Leave a Reply. |
