Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Hunger Pangs

So, I have been working pretty hard for this past few years on becoming healthier physically. This has definitely been, and continues to be, quite the expedition. My weight has gone up and down. I have spent a lot of time educating myself on which veggies bore which nutritional benefits. I have trained for and accomplished a half-marathon. Some days I feel like I have made no progress at all. Some days I can definitely tell the positive results of the healthful eating and exercising. Some days (and days and days) I don't go to the gym and I scoot slowly back toward my starting line. 


NONETHELESS: This holiday season, I made a choice to set up some clear guidelines for myself so I wouldn't screw this all up and hate myself in the morning. I decided to eat as much whole, fresh, nutrient-rich vegetables as were available. THEN have an enjoyably small portion of all the fun foods I lllloooovvveee (i.e. Cecelia's mashed potatoes with cream and butter).


I realized something about my spirit and God's Spirit during this whole thing. 


 I still have a strong desire for things that are yucky for my health. When I am not taking care to be a grown up and eat the right stuff, you just better not try to get between me and those mashed potatoes, (or block or cheese, or bowl of olives, or back of gummy bears...) When I haven't stopped to eat during the day, and I am super hungry, I'll fall for just about any temptation. When I eat my plaing fat-free greek yogurt and spouted wheat bread for breakfast, I don't dive in to the box of donuts at the office. When I am eating healthfully, based on the understanding I have gained, I know that the real satisfaction my body needs when I am hungry can be satiated by healthful sources. 


So (and you may already have run ahead of me to this conclusion), the spiritual parallel, be it ever so obvious, has been resounding with me these past few weeks. Back to the whole ABIDING lesson, God approaches our spiritual need for His Spirit with words that apply to our physical need for food and drink.



Psalm 145:16
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.



Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.



Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.


Isaiah 55:1-3

 1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, 
   come to the waters; 
and you who have no money, 
   come, buy and eat
Come, buy wine and milk 
   without money and without cost. 
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, 
   and your labor on what does not satisfy? 
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, 
   and you will delight in the richest of fare. 
3 Give ear and come to me; 
   listen, that you may live. 
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, 
   my faithful love promised to David.


God is the source for all our heart hungers for. His wisdom and love guide us in the choices that will truly satisfy.  My spiritual hunger pangs are very pronounced when I am neglecting this. Deep-fried jealousy or comparing myself to everyone's EVERYTHING (always seeing my lack). Wickedly delicious processed, corn-syrupy Entitlement starts creeping into my thoughts and words.  The cream puffs and mashed potatoes of selfishness and pride are very attractive to me when I haven't taken time to be satisfied by His Word, by LISTENING to him, spending time to quieten the world around me and my own mind to hear the Words that will give me life- that will in turn give others life around me. The only words that are truth, that are trust-worthy. 


Choosing maturity in my physical health is not constant, but has come to have a more regular presence in my day-to-day. These are not always easy or popular choices, and I don't always make them. Also, this knowledge and progress are NOT about judging other people, but rather the benefit is that I have more energy to give and be involved in those around me, possibly encouraging healthy change by what they see me do. But they won't change anything if they don't see a real difference in me. Why would they? 


Of even greater magnitude, God cares about our spiritual (mental, emotional, AND physical) wholeness and health. He has made a way for us to be free to give grace because of the vastness of his love and mercy toward us. God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful (Gal. 5:22). This is the evidence that you have really been feeding from the Right Place. And what a gift you will be to those around you, being free to share His Spirit freely.


Happy feasting (both spiritually and otherwise) this wonderful celebratory season!