What controls you?

“No, I strike a blow to my flesh and make it a slave so that after I preach to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:27 NIV

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I had never considered engaging the spiritual gift of Self-Control in an effort to accomplish something as simple as eating better. I had always thought that my normal effort would eventually be enough. However, I can honestly say that since I typed those words my flesh has fought back. In fact, it is winning.

Jesus does not check our Body Mass Index when He hands us grace. What you weigh is not important in the area of faith. However, I have been reminded in the last couple of weeks that if I embark on an effort to grow spiritually, I have an enemy who does not want that to happen. When I say my flesh has been kicking my butt, that indicates a problem. One of my favorite pastors is Dr. Tony Evans from Dallas, Texas. He defines an idol as any unauthorized noun (person, place or thing) that we are using to meet a need.

No one that I know would construct an altar in our back yard and start worshiping it. If it was that obvious, it would be easy to fight. This is different. I eat when I am bored, when I feel grief, and lots of other reasons that do not involve nutrition. I think I let the idea that it is not that big of a deal lead to welcoming a battle into my own house and mind. I’ll think ‘I have had a good day so far; I deserve a small reward’. Not really. I’ll think I really cannot expect to go completely cold turkey (pun intended). That’s not true either. God can and has met every emotional need I can present to Him, but I have to present them.

If I allow that same line of reasoning into other areas of my life, then a little bit of stealing is okay. It’s not. If my wife followed that same reasoning, I would have a problem. She could probably find better if she was inclined to look. This may not apply to you, but really what I am learning about Me is that on some – not all - issues, a zero-tolerance policy is actually better. This is especially true if I am struggling in an area. My old way of fighting will let me slip once and then look up to realize that I have eaten a sleeve of Oreo’s. I listened to a song today from The Police that says, “I will turn your face to alabaster, when you find your servant is your master. You will be wrapped around my finger”. I felt convicted.

This brings me to an interesting question in my mind. If God wants me completely – all areas, then anything I cannot give up may be out of alignment. God does not, in fact ask us to give up everything all too often. But what if He did? I think He may occasionally gauge our willingness to give up the sacred cows in our lives.

I absolutely love my life. I am blessed beyond measure and I can truly look at my life and say that if I would have been asked to draw it up, it probably would not have turned out this way. What I have ended up with is actually better than I would have imagined. However, if I hold too tightly to the blessings, then I may be overlooking the blessor.

There are people from all walks of life who struggle with different issues. Some people can drink socially with no problem while others cannot consume any without losing control of it. Some people live a pretty balanced life while others work so much, they have no time to enjoy either the things work allows or the people for whom the work is actually done. Weight is not an issue in and of itself. It is pertinent for me because it has turned out to be an alignment issue. I want to work on that.

My wife and I look at certain days or times in our lives as holy ground. Fridays belong to her. I rarely work on a Friday. I have been blessed with work that allows this. I also realize that I don’t know of very many people who can carve off a day. However, I also know some people who could do something, but don’t. It is of note that Fridays belonging to Mary came as a result of working too many hours on too many days and losing track of the impact that was having on us. Right motivation, bad mechanics. I was willing to change in order to move toward her. I have been challenged this week with the question of whether or not I am willing to move toward God, maybe even eating belongs to Him.

What controls you?

What do you think should control you? If those two answers match, congratulations. Mine don’t.

Challenge: Think about areas you may need to lift up to Him. Be aware, like I am still learning, that areas of battle are real and that literally every battle has a spiritual side.

Rick Claiborn