Made to Love
Guess which one I went for!
My weight has always done this whole yo-yo thing; the numbers go back and forth, up and down. It’s a game that I play, stepping on the scale in the morning and trying to guess my weight. It’s a never ending challenge, and something that most of the women in my family have struggled with as well.
And it doesn’t help that I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas!
I hadn’t drank pop in ages, but it was flowing in abundance between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I indulged a little. The candies and nuts were coming in in droves at the office and were handed out freely at different events, so I indulged a little. And the leftover dips and chips and cookies (I swear to you) called me by name, so I indulged a little.
Over that time, I gained back ten of the 30 pounds I had lost! (Palm to forehead)
I wholeheartedly believe that you are what you eat. If I eat sweets, the sugar in my system tells me that I need more. If I eat something salty, the same thing happens. I desperately needed to reign in these cravings and find my passion for working towards my goals in my health and fitness, that seemed to have drifted away.
The book by Lysa Terkeurst is entitled, Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God not Food, and it isn’t your standard dieting and exercise manual. It’s a book that guides you through the process of replacing your cravings of physical things (food, clothes, a nicer car, a better job, etc.) with a craving for God.
Hook, line and sinker, I was caught by some incredible insights Lysa shared.
For example, in the introduction of the book, she shares this quote,
“…we can’t ignore the fact that the serpent used food as a tool in the process. If the very downfall of humanity was caused when Eve surrendered to a temptation to eat something she wasn’t supposed to eat, I do think our struggles with food are important to God.”
Pretty powerful! But so is the definition of the word crave:
“Definition.com defines craving as something you long for, want greatly, desire eagerly, and beg for. Now consider this expression of craving: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84:1-2).”
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Psalm 84:2 – [ Tweet this ]
“Each time I craved something I knew wasn’t part of my plan, I used that craving as a prompt to pray. I craved a lot. So, I found myself praying a lot.”
Suddenly it was clear that I have been making the same mistake year after year. I thought I needed to take control over my cravings; I never thought to lift them to God!
I never thought to lift them to God! – [ Tweet this ]
“We were made to crave –long for, want greatly, desire eagerly, and beg for–God. Only God.”
We were made to crave, but not only that, we were made to seek after, and made to love.
As I drove home from work yesterday, I heard tobyMac’s Made to Love for probably the billionth time, but it immediately took on a whole new light. It reminds me that I am a child of God and by that alone I am #empowered!
|
The dream, the drive that I had for obtaining my goal weight has faded and now I’ve woken to the reality that my reflection is not what I was hoping for.
Whatever happened to the passion that I was living for, what became of the spark inside of me that made me feel alive, and when did I forget?? I was made to crave God, but also to love God and be loved in return. That love and desire reciprocated is more than enough to fill me with hope, a renewed passion and dream, for with God all things are possible! |
The dream is fading, now I’m staring at the door
I know its over cause my feet have hit the cold floor Check my reflection, I ain’t feelin what I see It’s no mystery Whatever happened to a passion I could live for What became of the flame that made me feel more And when did I forget that… I was made to love you |
