Pls , Any suggestions on how i can deal with gluttony?? My appetite for food is very strong. I don't know why. And it often hinders my prayer life. It makes drowsy, heavy and dull. I tried on my own to curtail my eating. It would seem for a while like i am getting it right but after sometime i would go back eating more than the necessary quantity of food again. Definitely not the quality of a serious Christian.
Rather, I toughen my body with punches and make it my slave so that I will not be disqualified after I have spread the Good News to others. 1Corinthians 9:27
Brother, it may seem like I am over simplifying things, but you need to fast once a week to bring your body under control. Once you can fast a whole day once a week then fast one meal (eg.breakfast)at least five times a week.
In love Steve
The key to combatting gluttony is to stop eating.
That sounds ridiculously simple and perhaps stupid.
You don''t, and I don't, WANT to stop eating.
I need to drop 15 lbs. if I simply chose to eat less it would be a breeze, but right now I don't want to lose 15 lbs enough to stop eating what I want. Maybe next week I will want to. But not today.
My point is that no one is shoving food down your or my throat. We are voluntarily picking up the food and eating it.
I don't believe in food addiction. It is simply a matter of choosing not to eat.
I agree with the fasting advice. Fasting, in my view, teaches us that we are in control, not our desire. Our flesh says "feed me or I will die." Our mind says "nice try- but I am not eating and you are not going to die."
Is it for all food, or just for carbohydrates?
Cravings for high carbo foods or sugar filled foods can be cured by a paleo diet which is low carb, high fat.
Decide not to care if you are hungry. It matters. If you out fruit and veggie based nutrients into your body, all but eliminate meats and dairy and processed grains, you will get all you need and your stomach will learn in time to behave. The issue resides mainly in the mind and your own heart.
With you in the struggle. I feel you. But I have made huge strides with God's empowerment. I had to have a wake up moment with my health and pain and the cost of living as I was.
It is for all food
I believe in looking at the physical before the spiritual. When no answer us found in the physical then it is likely spiritual.
It could be that the body is not receiving sufficient nutrients because of poor quality foods, lack of variety or genetic defects that require extra by way of nutrients in food or supplements. It will make your eating out of control due to cravings if you are deficient.
Our bodies are so important in our service to God that we must only eat what will benefit them and if our diet is sufficient on all counts, it is not hard to discipline the appetite.
Intermittent fasting is very good that is to stop eating around 5 pm till the next morning. I do that every day, having my main meal at mid day.
Guys thanks for taking time to comment. I do and enjoy fasting i.e when it is time for corporate church fasting.but to declare a fast for myself i find that hard to do..And i think it's becos i see it as a punishment. Anyway i will have to do it.
You may want to cover all your bases and see about getting a physical and talking to a nutritionist. Would you consider counseling maybe a couple of sessions? Sometimes it's not only what you're eating but what is eating you. Are you an emotional eater? You may want to consider what you're bringing in to your home and why. I found that if I don't bring certain foods/snacks in my home then it's easier for me. To get those foods I have to make an effort to go get them and by then I lose interest. Do you eat enough vegetables and drink enough water? You have to do your part.
Spiritually you need to pray but also pray for others. Many times I've found it helps to pray for others who are facing the same challenge. You may need to ask prayer from those you trust. Do you have a prayer partner?
This may sound odd but have you really taken the time to understand what gluttony is and its spiritual underpinning of fear (at least that's the one I know of)? Have you taken the time to study fasting biblically so that you can have a sound/solid understanding of its purpose?
I know at times things may seem like their out of control but self control is a fruit of the Spirit and God is more than able to help us. Do your part and watch God do His.
I do not have a prayer partner. And how do i know if i am an emotional eater?
It seems that God has convicted you about eating too much.
The proper response is to not each as much.
Does it really matter if you are an emotional eater or not? If God has convicted you about something, then you have the power to stop doing that which has brought conviction. It seems to me that if you begin to look for underlying reasons why you are over-eating that you are looking for excuses. That seems more like something the Enemy would do to prevent you from doing what God wants you to do.
Even if you are an emotional eater (whatever that is), so what? You still have the ability to not be ruled by your emotions.
@TMK
It may not matter to you TMK but it can and often is important as to WHY a person is overeating. It's not as simplistic as you make it out to be. This is not about "you” TMK and your relationship with food. This is about the OP. Furthermore I don't see where the OP said the Lord "convicted” him/her. Also if you don't understand what "emotional eating” is then maybe you shouldn't comment on some thing you don't know. So please don't try and trash my post on the sly because my post was for the OP and them only...period.
@Brotheralechenu
I'm sorry I didn't see your post. To answer your question in a nutshell emotional eating is eating your feelings. Eating when you feel bored, sad, mad, frustrated, etc. When everything is fine you're eating is "normal” and balanced but if something upsets you you're back to snacking all the time or back in the fridge. What should have been leftovers don't make it. There's a part of it that is "thoughtless” eating because you're not even thinking about what your eating. It's not just eating to be eating. There's something underneath the emotion. Could be any number of things, fear, pain/hurt, unforgiveness, etc. God can remedy the situation though. There are those who think it's a disorder but I'm not in that camp. I'm sure if you google it you can probably get a better understanding. It might fit...it might not...just trying to help...
Whoa there jasmine- nobody is trashing anyone's post. Simmer down.
I am of the personal opinion that "psycho-babble" has done a lot of harm. It makes people think that something is controlling their actions and therefore they are not to blame for their behavior.
The bottom line is that in the vast majority of cases we do things we shouldn't because we want to. I am not saying that there might not be things in our past that make us prone to behave in certain ways. However, in the great majority of cases, a person still has control over themselves if they choose to exercise it. Now I realize that there are conditions like anorexia where treatment is needed.
But the vast majority of "weaknesses" experienced by Christians are not of that type. Paul said he had to beat his body into submission. Fasting certainly does that, and it can help with a lot more than food issues.
Todd stated
"Simmer down."
and put a lid on it?
Brotheralechenu... I want you to answer a question for yourself. I want you to listen at the things that come into your mind. Your question is..what is your secondary gain for this behavior. You must be brutally honest with yourself. This is not psychobabble. All behavior has meaning, period. I have found out for myself that my issue, whatever it may be, is usually rooted in fear. Just a thought that might help. When you are sure of the real reason, then deal with that problem. I think you'll find that the eating too much improves substantially. There's no need to post on SI unless you want to; but I guess you all ready know that. I will pray that our Lord gives you wisdom.
In Him...alamb
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