Seemingly all overweight studies say that Americans are mostly larger than they should be. I don’t think any of these reports are a big surprise to anyone. We are a fat culture. Here is a CDC stat:
- Percent of non-institutionalized adults age 20 years and over who are overweight or obese: 67% (’05-’06)
- Percent of non-institutionalized adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 34% (’05-’06)
- Percent of adolescents age 12-19 years who are overweight: 18% (’05-’06)
- Percent of children age 6-11 years who are overweight: 15% (’05-’06)
- Percent of children age 2-5 years who are overweight: 11% (’05-’06)
We love eating. We love our food. We love food so much that we seemingly have no regard for our current health or the long-term effect of poor eating choices and patterns. What we eat, why we eat, where we eat, and how we eat reveal a lot about ourselves. The what, why, where, and how reveal what we are passionate about. Habits reveal passions.
What Are You Passionate About?
David tells us in Psalm 42:1-2
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Job said in 23:12
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
What am I passionate or desperate for? What is the thing that I really want more than anything else? You could say that the answer to this question may be found in my day-timer, how I devote my time. The sad news is that as my soul dips throughout the week, I tend to reach for filler foods to bring some form of temporary satisfaction to my soul. Here are a few ways I am tempted to go for “fast (soul altering) food” instead of the real meat that only God can provide:
Television Instead of Quiet Time: TV can easily become filler time. When I really need to be talking to God, I am tempted to turn the TV on and let it talk to me. Rather than me pursuing God, I am tempted to let the world of TV feed my soul. The word “amusement” means “without the mind.” The “a” negates the succeeding word, which is the word “muse” or “mind.” Therefore, the word amusement means to not use the mind. TV is not a passive process. You are not actively relaxing when you watch TV, but you are being actively engaged and shaped by the agenda of the program you are watching.
Facebook Instead of Relationship: I find that Facebook has been especially tempting in that it can offer a false sense of relational satisfaction. Facebook teases my craving for relationship, while keeping me from the potential risks that all real relationships can struggle with. I can engage virtually through Facebook instead of literally engaging another fallen human. Facebook is an excellent risk free filler food.
Self-Help Books Rather Than the Bible: The plethora of “solid” self-help books can slowly replace the need for the Bible. If my Bible plays second or third string to my other books, then I’m creating a distance between the ultimate “health food” and the filler food that has no real power for change.
Porn instead of Physical Intimacy: My body is not for me, but for my wife. However, if I take an anti-Gospel position on sex, then porn will be an easy temptation for me. Porn is for the selfish, lazy, and insecure man, who is not interested in giving, but taking. Rather than waiting, trusting, and going through the process of preparing real food, I choose a “quickie-fix” through the “Drive-Thru” world of the Internet.
- How do you satisfy your desire for (1) Quiet time; (2) Relationship; (3) Bible; (4) Physical Intimacy?
- What am I desperate for? What is the thing that I really want more than anything else? The answer to this question may be found in my day-timer, how I devote my time.
- How often do I drink from the Word of God? How does the Word of God fit into my overall soul care solution?
- What are my favorite filler-foods that replace my hunger for God? What are the precious things that I like to graze upon during my day?
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