Eating Without Receiving Nourishment

As I stored my Christmas CDs in
January, this cover reminded 
me of an unpublished devotional
 I had stashed in my digital files.
 I decided to pull it out and post 
it this week.

                                             Spiritual Eating Disorder

         Last month, I enjoyed playing, singing, and listening to Christmas music, one of my favorite ways to celebrate the season. One album I listen to each year is Christmas Portrait, a vintage collection over 30 years old. For decades, I have admired the crystal clear, mellow voice of Karen Carpenter, but following her tragic death precipitated by an eating disorder, I listen with a sadness in my heart. Such a talent, dying so young the result of an eating disorder– it seemed senseless.

A person with an eating disorder may consume large quantities of food but takes steps to prevent her body from utilizing and receiving nourishment from it. Physical maladies, serious illnesses, and even death can result. It is believed this behavioral disorder stems from desiring an idealistic body type based on unrealistic expectations of peers, family, and images in all types of media. Even though food enters the person’s mouth, nourishment is thwarted from happening. How many times do we do this in our spiritual lives? With our mouths, we express a desire to follow God’s ways. Participation in Bible studies or online groups makes us appear that we want to hear and obey God’s Word.     

 Some believe the need for some control plunges a person into an eating disorder. In our spiritual lives, our disobedience reveals we want to retain control so we communicate in inappropriate ways, whether profane, bad-mannered, or disrespectful. Is this how we revolt against God’s control by our disobedience?

In Ezekiel 33:31, God spoke to His prophet, these words- They come and sit in front of you as My people, and listen to the words you say. But they do not do them. With their mouth they speak of love, but their hearts are full of sinful desire. The Lord told his servant, Ezekiel, that people come, sit down in front of him, and hear what Ezekiel preaches. Sadly, God knew the people would not do what Ezekiel preached. Their mouths spoke of love, but their hearts were intent on sinfulness. The Lord sent Ezekiel to give the people the Word of God to nourish them spiritually. They acted like they were taking in Ezekiel’s message, but they refused to really absorb the truth from God so their lives could be impacted for good. This behavior rings loudly of a spiritual eating disorder.

Recently, a principle from God’s word on one of my Pinterest boards was reposted on someone’s board. What a surprise to see he had reposted my godly verse next to a board posting vulgar language! As James wrote in the New Testament, “This ought not be!” He was saying true believers can’t have it both ways.

Why do we shrink back from obeying God’s word? Aren’t we reading the Bible, but then purging our hearts and lives of its powerful message before God’s life-changing word can impact our thoughts, speech, and responses?  The pressure of what others think can cause us to dismiss God’s commands from our lives. The behavior popularized in our circle of friends or colleagues squeezes out what are often characterized as archaic standards that our Creator laid out in the Bible. Although we don’t want to acknowledge that our own desires clearly oppose God’s standards, we glibly do what we want and deliberately ignore His word.

This strategy may help with reading and obeying God’s word:

• First, ask God to show you one truth as you read the Bible.
• Then read the passage.
• Write down one truth that God‘s Spirit impresses upon you.
• Throughout the day, meditate or think on that truth.
• Consciously, obey that truth during your day.
• In the evening, write one or two sentences, explaining how you obeyed God’s truth during your day.

 Refuse to allow God’s word to be purged from your spirit. Instead get the most from your spiritual nourishment that you received that day. Then you will have strength for the day.