Dieting and God's Presence

I’ve had some adventures with food lately and since January seems to be the month of new (and typically short-lived) diets I wanted to share a couple things I’m learning about the relationship between food and the Holy Spirit.

This is an ongoing journey for me. I want to eat healthy not so much to lose weight but so I’ll have energy, care for my body, and feel good. But I’m pretty worn out with the variety of diet plans that rely on will power to build healthy eating habits around a new list of “clean and unclean” foods. Maybe this works for people, but I find I quickly lose motivation and go back to compulsive and mindless eating habits. I find that a lot of my feelings and attitudes about food are intense and deeply ingrained. Changing my habits often induces panic, burnout, and shame.

But something struck me recently from 1 Timothy 4:

“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”

As I think about conflicting diet trends with their lists of good and bad foods, it’s good to remember that in fact, all food is good and made by God. No food can make us “clean” or “unclean”. All food is made by God for our enjoyment and nourishment if we can receive it with prayerful gratitude!

Here’s what I’ve started doing. I’ve started inviting the Presence of God into my eating decisions. Each time I dish up a plate of food for myself, I invite the Father to be with me and once I feel His Presence, I invite him to help me make any food decisions He may want. A little more broccoli? A little less ice cream? Or maybe a little MORE ice cream?

I find he leads me consistently to enjoy and appreciate the good things He’s given (even some indulgences) without gorging myself. Sometimes, he leads me to skip a meal altogether and that’s good and beautiful too because I know he’ll beautifully care for my body in His way and in His timing.

If I want to eat something, I ask myself, “Can I receive this with gratitude and trust?” If I can, then I enjoy it! If not, I simply wait. My eating has become mindful and attentive without becoming anxious or obsessive. It feels healthy to me. Sometimes, I slip out of grateful eating into mindless chomping and I always feel “heavy” about it (pun intended). But graciously, he’s teaching me to stay with him in eating just as I’m with him in all my other activities. I’m hopeful this will result in a healthy body and a joyful heart. Just another perk of practicing God’s Presence!