Lesson 7: Is it Really Hunger?Below is a post to His Image E-mail List: I'm changing my lifestyle. I'm allowing my heavenly Father to make the emotional changes in me that need to be made. I am putting my focus on HIM! Talking to HIM more every day! Overindulgence is a sin, and I do NOT want to keep on sinning! Amen! By the grace of God, I will not remain in this cycle for the rest of my life. I eat only when I feel stomach hunger. If that 'restless' feeling comes over me, I am learning to recognize it. I don't run to the refrigerator as much. I say a quick prayer, and tune in to my heavenly Father! I put on praise tapes! I listen to scripture! But the most important thing I do is get INTO the Word. Read a few verses, and say, "OK, Father. Reveal to me, by the Holy Spirit, teach me, show me what YOU want me to learn from these verses." Very soon, that 'restless' or 'dissatisfied' feeling fades away. We need to run to the SOURCE when the restless/dissatisfied/unfulfilled/squirmy/wiggly/unsettling times come. THAT is when I want to hit the refrigerator. When I get anxious, too. But, mostly, it's just wanting too much of a good thing! Eating more at mealtime than my body physically requires. Slow down. drink with my meal. put my fork down a time or two. drink sips of my drink. eat slowly. stop when I am satisfied. If I eat fast, I will stuff myself. The pain of being stuffed is a delayed reaction. Now, I have found I do NOT like that feeling any more! The Lord is really working in me! Also, I am able to clear the plates into the trashcan, rather than eating the last two bites of ny son's chicken. This is a major thing! I am being obedient in a lot of areas! Help me, Lord! JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Make a list of the times when you "felt" you needed food, record the situation and then evaluate your emotional condition at the time. Note whether you wanted food because of stomach hunger or an emotional need.
______________________________________________________________________________________________ The way I look at hunger and food is this: God created hunger for a reason. If I am hungry, I need to eat a meal. If I am not hungry when the rest of the family sits down to eat, that's ok. I just sit there and fellowship with them. I can always eat the meal that I fixed (but didn't eat now) later. A meal can be 1/2 of a sandwich, or a bowl of soup. If I cannot delay the hunger, I go ahead and eat. I can eat every time I get hungry. I just don't have to eat large quantities of ANYTHING, not even cabbage and lettuce. Even small quantities of raw vegetables are not very appealing to me. I would be better satisfied to eat something tasty and substantial, rather than filling in with roughage. Satisfaction is a part of the eating process. If I don't feel SATISFIED with what I eat, I will eat more at mealtime than I would have if I had gone ahead and eaten a small meal.
The Lord showed me
today:_____________________________________________________________________
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