So I’m sitting here in my car, burping after eating a Burger King meal.
Excuse me.
A Whopper Jr with french fries, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing and a Sprite to be exact. Oh, and I’m uncomfortable and filled with regret.
Again.
Why? Because I heard God’s whisper in my heart as I headed out the door, prompting me to stop and worship Him.
He knew what I was on my way to do.
And He knew why I was on my way to do it. He wanted me to know that what I really wanted could not be found at the bottom of a Burger King bag, but only in His presence.
You see, all my adult life I’ve chosen food as my source of comfort and pleasure.
I would run to food when I was sad, nervous, happy, bored, overwhelmed, you name it. But this past year God has been gently bringing me out of that place of dependence on food for comfort.
I thank God so much for placing His Holy Spirit inside me, who nudges me in the right direction, such a gentleman! I just wish I’d have listened to His wisdom today.
Because usually when I feel discouraged…
I’ll stop and sit with the Lord, or sing until I feel His peace. And as I get lost in worship, moments later I’ll realize that the food cravings have left. Like, gone. When just minutes before that pizza, that burger, or those waffle fries were all I could think about.
For me, that’s a huge revelation.
But today I put my blinders on and kept trucking all the way to Burger King; trying to distract myself from the fact that I was ignoring the Lord and following after my flesh.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Romans 13:14
Now if I was just hungry, and was not trying to save money, and was not trying to be healthy, then a Burger King meal would have been fine. But I wasn’t hungry. Not even a little bit.
I was frustrated.
Earlier today as I was working at home, nothing seemed to be going right. So I’d pass by the kitchen back and forth, casting sidelong glances at the fridge. And before I knew it, I was out the door heading to Burger King with my laptop and debit card.
But I’m not going to beat myself up about it again.
I will thank God and keep it moving. I won’t give up. The God I serve is not only a righteous and holy God, but tenderhearted and compassionate.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15
Jesus never gave in to temptation. So we know that God always provides a way out, we just have to let Him.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
There’s a better way.
I’ve resolved to stop and listen to the Holy Spirit next time I’m craving something. And yes, I know I’m saying that with a full belly! But if the Lord won’t give up on me, I won’t give up on me either.
By the way, the fries were cold and the bun was stale. But I still ate it.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
Now I‘m sure Paul didn’t have Burger King in mind when he wrote this, but the principle remains the same. God must have preeminence in our life.
This may be hard to hear, however:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 8:6
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:13-15
I let food become the thing I turn to instead of the Lord; a “lesser lover;” an idol.
That burger can’t love me back. Certainly not like God can, who’s a jealous God. And rightfully so; because His way is the only way to life and peace.
That burger will leave me just as discouraged as I was before I ate it; only masking the feelings that will inevitably return when frustration comes again.
Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to comfort us.
No one can love us like He loves us. And He knows the real reason you want to eat. But the question is: Are you willing to surrender to Him in the moment? Or is the temptation too strong?
You know, God can snatch the taste for that thing out of your mouth.
He’s done it for me when I asked Him to. I just had to learn to trust Him.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
The good news is, He’s always with us. In every moment of our weakness the Holy Spirit is with us, calling us to lean on His strength.
Now there’s an even bigger issue: Striving.
Yes, us trying to do this thing in our own strength. “I’m going to grit my teeth and overcome this temptation!” That’s our first instinct. But the Bible teaches us something different, which I found to be absolutely true.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:13
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 26:41
The more time you spend in the presence of God, the easier it will be to resist temptation. Why?
- You are strengthening your spirit and weakening the flesh.
- Your desires begin to change and you’ll want to please God more than your flesh.
- Your faith in God grows so much that you begin trust Him enough to hand that temptation over and not hide it from Him, because you’ll know that His way does lead to life and peace.
- And because you know that when you ask God to remove the temptation, He will do it.
It’s a heart issue. It always is. Where is your heart?
Love you and be encouraged.
