If you’re anything like our family, deciding what we’re going to eat causes more stress than anything else during the week!
Is it a church night?
Do the kids have a recital?
Does Mom have errands?
Does Dad have a meeting?
There are just too many options and too many people to please.
Deciding what to eat takes a lot of energy, thought and planning. It can also be stressful.
What about our spiritual food?
Do we put the same amount of thought, care and planning into the “food” we allow into our minds and hearts?
Are we conscientious about the media we consume or are we mindlessly shoving junk down our spiritual throats?
Nearly 3,000 years ago, King Solomon wrote, “When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.”
If “deceptive food” were ever a problem in the world, how much more is it today?
In the same way, sugary, fried, and processed foods are oh, so tasty, they are horrible for our health. Talk about deceptive.
However, I do not think King Solomon was just talking about Twinkies and Potato Chips. The same principle applies to the media we consume. It looks good and tastes good, but it is rotting our spirits and corrupting our souls.
It is not just the obvious; sex, murder, and profanity that we have to watch out for. It includes all media. Even the news are full of fear, hate and division. Our flesh loves it but when you feed on fear long enough it gets into your spirit. You get addicted to it!
There is yet another side effect. The Bible says, “One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.”
I remember when I was a kid, my mom used to say, “Don’t eat that. Dinner is almost ready. It will spoil your appetite.” Now, we say the same thing to our kids!
Spiritually speaking, however, if we are constantly feeding on junk food, we will not be hungry for wholesome foods. Not only will we not want wholesome foods, but over time, we will lose our appetite for it altogether.
I am not a dietitian, and I certainly have room for better eating habits, but here is a quote from a recent article I read, “Whatever you eat for breakfast is what your body will crave the rest of the day.” In other words, if you eat a donut or pastry, full of carbohydrates and sugar, for breakfast, your body will crave carbs and sugar all day. However, if you drink a green smoothie for breakfast, your body will crave salads and healthy foods throughout the day. Makes a lot of sense!
The Prophet Jeremiah said, “When I discovered Your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear your name, oh Lord, God of Heaven’s armies.”
And Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
What are some ways we can work to improve our spiritual diets?
- When you first wake up in the morning are you spending time with the Lord in prayer or do you pick up your phone and start reading the news?
- Before you go to sleep at night, are you feeding on Instagram or reading the Word of God?
- What kind of company do you keep and what conversations do you take part in throughout the day?
Don’t worry, if that stings a bit! I am right there with you because I am preaching to myself right now, too.
If we are sluggish, depressed and suffering from brain fog, it might be more than just carbs and processed foods. We might need to change our spiritual diet while we’re at it!