Are you using foods comprised of processed sugar and empty calories as a tremendous substitute for your extraordinary future? You do have one, you know.
Tremendous Substitute
Years ago I heard a speaker say that when we are trying to determine God’s will for our lives, the devil will present us with an alternative that looks really good. However, it’s only a tremendous substitute for God’s perfect plan.
We all know the evil one has an agenda. His mission is “to kill, steal and destroy”1 our God-given destiny. So he provides us with tremendous substitutes. In my life these have always been immediate, in-the-moment, tangible things.
Your Life
So the scenario looks like this: You know God’s destiny for you is to lead people to the overcoming power of God. Your addiction is sugar and you know it. You also know you have to stay away from it if you’re ever going to live out your destiny.
Then, you get stressed and overwhelmed with everything you’re doing to try to reach your goal. On a given day, everything seems to be falling apart. Everywhere you turn something else isn’t working. The washing machine breaks. The car needs new tires. A family member has an emergency and you’re the only one available. And your boss is calling for that report.
You’re ready to go crazy! You could pray, listen to worship music or a podcast sermon. You could journal. You could choose a lot of things, but will they really work quickly to get you relief? You think surely God wouldn’t want you to be stressed and before you know it, you’re reaching for the tremendous substitute of something with sugar.
Destiny Thoughts
In the midst of the struggle, you don’t think destiny thoughts. You only think about getting through this one moment.
If you had thought about the overall will of God for your life, you would realize that every time you choose your addiction instead of tapping into the power of God, You are negating your ability to lead anyone else to experience His overcoming power.
Kingdom Thoughts
Two passages smacked me in the face today. First, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”2
Paul was addressing arguments in the church about what things people should and shouldn’t eat. He was explaining what you eat and drink is not as important as what flows out of your inner being.
That has to be right standing with God which produces peace and joy. Then we will be changed from the inside out.3
Will of God
Jesus says something similar. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”4
Jesus was answering the disciples who were wondering why He wasn’t eating the food they brought Him. As was His manner, He answered the simple everyday question of, “Are you hungry?” with a statement that went much deeper.
To Jesus the ordinary, everyday needs were not as important as the magnanimous, extraordinary purpose of His entire life.
Extraordinary Future
The same is true for us. How does it happen, then, that we focus on the ordinary things more than the extraordinary?
The truth is you and I are not ordinary people. We are holy, sanctified, redeemed, made righteous5, bought with the blood of Christ. In order to fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, we must live like extraordinary people.
For me, part of that means I don’t allow the distractions of the foods that are addictive to me. It’s not a negotiable item for me to consume the things that lead me back into bondage.
I’m reminded of what Reepicheep says in Voyage of the Dawn Treader, “Extraordinary things happen to extraordinary people. Perhaps you were made for an extraordinary future.”
Perhaps indeed.
Are you ready for your extraordinary journey? #KickSugar 10-Day Plan will release on June 15. It will include videos, inspiration, recipes and information about how you can build your sugar-free LIFEstyle plan. Get your name on the list to get the course sent to you on Monday! A few have seen the course already and are anxious for me to release so their friends can see it, too. We’re doing testing now. I can’t wait for you to get it!
1John 10:10
2Romans 4:17 NIV
3Romans 12:2 MSG
4John 4:34 NIV
52 Cor. 5:21 NIV
Teresa Shields Parker is an author, speaker and coach. Her books, Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Sweet Change: True Stories of Transformation head the Christian Weight Loss Memoir category on Amazon. She blogs at teresashieldsparker.com, where you can find her weight loss courses and groups as well.
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