You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety. Psalm 4:7-8

God is my Joy

I’m reading a book called “Made to Crave“. It’s a book about getting your focus off of food and on to Christ. About satisfying your desires with God. This book is really good, and I feel it’s really reinforcing a lot of what the Lord is trying to transform in me right now.

I’m Fat

It’s the sad truth. I have often self medicated my feelings and thoughts with the comfort of food. Using the endorphin rush to help me not have to feel whatever I was avoiding. The Lord has been putting a lot of information in front of me lately about focusing on Him instead of food (like the grain and new wine in Psalm 4). Through this book, OA (overeaters anonymous) and Bible Study, I feel the Lord making a big transformation in me. Helping me to take my focus off of food and put it where it needs to be – on Jesus. He’s the one who will put more joy in my heart.

Come after me

On Sunday, one of our pastors did a message on Luke 9:23 – “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.'” This was an amazing message. He focused on the very first part of that verse. If any one wishes to come after me. He talked about being in pursuit of God, like we are in pursuit of our first love. Thinking about them at all times, wondering what we could do to get their attention. It spoke to me. I was always a bit boy crazy. I worked hard at getting the boy I liked to like me. Looking my best, being nice to him, spending time with him. Do I do that with my Lord? If I did pursue God that way, would I have a problem with my eating? Would many of my sins survive that kind of singular focus on my Lord?

Attention Seeking

I want the attention of my husband. When I don’t get it, I’m embarrassed to say I don’t behave very well. I’ll do almost anything to have a few extra minutes with my hubby. I find ways to spend more time with him, invite him out to dinner, do the dishes so he won’t and will hang with the family in the living room. Whatever I can do to spend that time with him, I’m likely to do. This week we’re spending some time apart. He’s at a conference, and I’m home with the rest of my family. I was concerned about this, because I’m more likely to overeat when I’m alone or lonely. So I brought it up to my counselor, and she asked, what if you spend that time you would have spent with your husband with God. It was one more piece to the puzzle. One more way the Lord was showing me I need to put my focus back on him, to come after him as it said in Luke 9:23.

In hot pursuit

I’m going to work on spending this time away from my husband as a boot camp for being in pursuit of the Lord. I’m going to set aside more time to spend with Him. Talk to Him about my day. Ask Him how to handle situations, and rely on Him more. I want to deny myself, pick up my cross and follow Him.

Are you in hot pursuit of God?