“Eat to fuel your body, not feed your emotions” Unknown – Part 1
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah Psalm 61:4
Is food your hiding place? The place you run to with all your emotions?
Between the pandemic and the holidays coming up, our emotions can be at an all time high. Holidays are the most stressful time of year and then, add in that we have been living in the midst of a pandemic for the last 8 months. Where are we running when our emotions overwhelm us?
Be aware of your eating today!
Are you hungry?
Are you bored?
Are you tired?
Are you depressed?
Are you angry?
Are you frustrated?
Are you anxious?
Are you sad?
Finding comfort in food is common. People who emotionally eat reach for food to suppress and soothe negative feelings. Anything from work stress to financial worries, health issues to relationship struggles, can be the root of your emotional eating. Some of us run to food to distract ourselves from pain, others of us eat for pleasure when life isn’t as exciting or fulfilling as we would like. Food can distract us from the emotions we are feeling, but it will never truly satisfy our souls.
I honestly believe that the real root to emotional eating is misplaced trust. If you trust the Lord is good and that He is for you and that in all things God works good for those who love him (Romans 8:28), then we can run to The Lord with all our emotions. The enemy wants to convince you that if you don’t turn to food, you will be left without comfort. But that is a lie! We don’t have to run to food every time our emotions overwhelm us. We need our hearts to believe that it is safer to turn to God instead of food. The Lord is waiting for you to draw Him in and allow His presence to soothe whatever emotion is driving you to run to food. The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you, He is our built-in Comforter.
You don’t need to run to the cookie jar, the pantry or the refrigerator and stuff yourself with food. You can go to God’s word, get in His presence and allow Him to fill you up and satisfy you. When our emotions are overwhelming us, let us choose to run to God instead of food.