Temptation Aisle-Land

Day 230 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

As my diet progresses I find myself really wanting to eat all of the sugar based products that I see. Things I never ate when I was eating everything I wanted even. I rarely ate cookies from a package, but a walk down the cookie aisle at the grocery really did get my taste buds curious as to what the Chewy Chips Ahoy might taste like these days. Or even those "Snackwell" branded cookies, how are they? They're diet food after all, right?

This is where the "big why" comes in. Is my reason for losing weight and getting healthy bigger than he temporary satisfaction of eating unhealthy and fattening foods? Answer: No. My "big why" is what I need to continually remind myself of when temptations do arise. Oh, and do they ever arise. Example - Wal Mart the day after Valentines day had all of the remaining stock of V-Day candy on clearance 50% off. Of the morsels that could be purchased for the low, low pricing were Reese's Cups assortment bags of confectionery delights. Did I buy a bag? Yes. But, I did not buy them for me, but for the kids. I have not ate any of them and honestly it has not been an issue.

I can function for a while off of sheer willpower alone during most diets I subject myself to. The problem is that I have always depended on myself in these matters and never had God s part of my diet plan. This was because I was not a child of His during any of my previous diets. This time I do Know Him and I am leaning on Him for strength. He is actually part of my "big why" in that I want to be able to glorify God through this process as my strength and afterward when I am possibly given a platform to share of His graces and goodness to me.

I am sure that I will stumble some in this diet, but it will be when I take my eyes from my "big why". That is a lot like sin in our lives. When we take our eyes off of Jesus we fall into temptation and eventually sin. As long as we are living with our gaze at Christ we do not let sin even tempt us, but a slight look away and the sparkly things of the world are there to entice us. How can that be when we have the most beautiful Person ever to behold and we turn our eyes from Him? Becaue we are wretched and fallen and our flesh desires to sin, which is why we must diligently keep our gaze upon Jesus. The same can be likened to my diet, as long as I am looking at my "big why" and my long term goal I will probably not cheat and will continue to exercise regularly. But, as soon as I am enticed and I have my guard down, I forget my why, or I think this temporary slice of happiness will not hurt I am in rebellion to my "big why" and to me goals and ultimately I am being disobedient to God.

So, my weight loss program does have many spiritual connections. I must always be on guard against my flesh that is struggling against my mind and spirit. I know that if I give in to temptation I will suffer and I do not want that. I want to meet my goal and exceed my expectations and through it all lift the name of Jesus.