Dictionary.com defines the word purge as: to rid of whatever is impure or undesirable; cleanse; purify. I know when you think of losing weight and hear the term purge the first thing you think of is an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. However, please keep in mind when I mention it in this post that is not what I am speaking of. I can honestly say that I have eaten each day and I have not purged in that sense of dieting. However, with that stated I would like to tell you about something that I have realized this week. When you purge your diet the thing that is going to come up is going to be emotional. In other words when you purge your diet (to rid it of impure & undesirable foods, to cleanse and purify what foods you do eat) of process foods, sugars, fast foods, and the like the one thing that is sure to come up will be emotional.
For one if you are anything like me your flesh is like a 2 year old when it comes to the sweet treats that you come across during the day. There are coffee shops, donut shops, & friends with goodies around every corner. There are days when you eat out of habit and when you tell your body NO and continue to tell it NO it doesn’t like you very much. It wants to react in ways like short temperedness, pouting, maybe even a little dirt kicking.
For me another thing I am realizing is that on my bad days, sad days, overwhelmed days, over worked days, underappreciated days I turn to food. Why? Because I desire “it.” Whatever the “it” may be. These last few weeks I have purged my diet of all those comfort foods, all those “it” things that I once used to make me feel better. For me it has meant that I have had to deal with some emotions over this last few weeks. The other day I was driving in my car all alone and I was praying and all of a sudden my prayers for others turned into confessions and prayers about me. I thought out loud to myself (& God) where is all of this coming from. I was just so overwhelmed with sorrow and conviction and in that moment it was as if God whispered to me “Tina, I have been trying to deal with you about this for a long time now but you wouldn’t turn to me – you would turn to food and sometimes you would turn to sleep both to comfort you but they have lied to you because they haven’t comforted you at all. They made you empty promises that didn’t fill you in quite the way you thought they would.” “Ouch. . . Father. . .That hurt,” was my reply. He was right. Dead on. Now that I have taken all the comfort foods out I can see clearly that fact. I now have to deal with some stuff that before I just stuffed food on top of. Girls, (and guys) that isn’t easy. However, it is as necessary to my getting healthy as eating the right stuff. So as you read my blogs and think about this diet or any other diet for that matter please remember what I have said. When you have been using food as a crutch as I have and then you take it away there are going to be days when you feel like an emotional mess. Don’t be surprised at your flesh for not wanting to play nice when it is used to getting what it wants. However, don’t let it get the best of you. God is bigger. He is stronger. He can handle whatever problem you have. He will forgive whatever wrong you have done. You just have to do your part and let go of your “idle” and let God be your comfort, shelter, hiding place, strong tower, and your place of rest.
“Dear Children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your heart.” 1 John 5:21
“But I trust in the Lord God to save me, & I will wait for Him to answer my prayer.” Micah 7:7
“The Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son, in all the way you went until you came to this place.” Deut. 1:31
“Christ has set you free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” Gal. 5:1
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