Sunday, February 3, 2008

WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH

"WHEN IT IS DARK ENOUGH, YOU CAN SEE THE STARS."
charles a. beard


1 Corinthians 12-13

WHEREFORE LET HIM THAT THINKETH HE STANDETH TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL. THERE HATH NO TEMPTATION TAKEN YOU BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN: BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT SUFFER YOU TO BE TEMPTED ABOVE THAT YE ARE ABLE; BUT WILL WITH THE TEMPTATION ALSO MAKE A WAY T ESCAPE, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.

I have found myself actually complaining this past week. It seemed everywhere that I looked there was food. It all started when I made dinner for some of my family and bought stuff that was extra and that I shouldn't have had in the house. (remember, I have a problem with food, not alcohol, not drugs, etc but food. ) I knew better but I did it anyway. I think I have a problem that I am just seeing and it is that I feel , for some reason more secure when the pantry is full to overflowing. I have put my trust in a full pantry instead of the Lord in this area. I don't know if I think that we will wake up one day and be without food or what it is but I have got to give this to the Lord. Then it seemed everywhere I went there was food, food and more food.

It wasn't the food that was the problem it was my attitude toward the food. So for me I know that I didn't please God this week because complaining is never pleasing to God. I started going to the scripture to find an answer so hopefully in the days ahead , I will not have this same problem and hopefully not the same problem just wrapped in a different situation.

The verses that I found that helped me and maybe they will you also if you find yourself in such a week. I have applied these verses in other situations in my life but I found that they have helped me with this situation also.

Just when I was beginning to think that I had the battle almost won and I would be able to do it in my own strength, I didn't take heed so there were times this week that I failed. I forget to remember that God knew the temptations that I would face this week and that He is a faithful Lord, God and he would not put any food before me that I could not say no to and do it without complaining. He would put along with the temptation a way to escape. You know what, I didn't even look for an escape. I didn't even try to bear it. I just thought how much I was having to go through not being able to eat all the things that my eyes and heart was lusting after. I didn't even ask God for help before the situations arose. I just dove head first into a situation without my armour on. I failed and I am sorry to have to report this to you but I would not be honest if I did otherwise.

I felt sorry for myself for few hours but then got on my knees and ask God to forgive me and to help me to remember that He would always make a way for me to escape if I just looked and want to. I would also like to apologize to each of you for not being a good example and I hope that my failure does not become a stumbling block to any one of you. You can do it. I know that I am determined to do better this next week.

As this next week comes, I already know that there are going to be extra opportunities to be around food. We are having guests over for dinner on Friday night so I know that will be one time. I am sure as the days go by there will be other opportunities to "TAKE HEED." I am starting to night to make a plan for my escape not literally but you know what I mean.

I hope each of you had a good week. But if like me, you did not do your best. Get up, and try again. As long as we are trying we have not lost the battle or the war. love you all, connie

16 comments:

Pam--in America said...

Thank you for reminding me of this verse. It is so true....God will always make a way for us to escape-- it's up to us to look for it and take it. I will be keeping this in the forefront of my mind. I'll be praying that you find your escape this week!

TO BECOME said...

Dear pam, thank you so much. I am sure that it will be there. I will find it this week. Thank you for praying for me. connie

Sis. Julie said...

I know I didn't honor God with my eating last week either. I don't know how I managed to lose anything. I didn't drink my water and I was so stressed that I didn't eat healthy at all. But either way....I didn't honor God with my way of eating or even my attitude in eating last week. I too felt sorry for myself...and I also had times when I just didn't care. And that is not the right attitude to have.

I love you and thank you for your prayers!!

Rebekah said...

I didn't do too good eating-wise either this week. Since we were volunteering at an expo this weekend, we ate at odd times, and some strange stuff, and I started to go back up. But now it's back to the routine, back to working on it...but not on our own strength, thank the Lord!!

Karen said...

It's kind of disheartening when we first take that verse to heart. It takes away all my excuses (stress, slow metabolism, didn't want to waste something, didn't have a choice) and then all that's left is me--either choosing to obey or plugging my ears and choosing to ignore the 'escape route'. God's Word doesn't allow me to play the victim. {{heavy sigh}}

Anonymous said...

Connie,
This is a new week.
"Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Romans 6:13
We want to be "alive" don't we? So lets don't let sin have dominion over us this week, in the lustful form of food. God bless you as you recognize the things that need to change.
(By the way, I have been on the rotation diet, but I am much more in favor of portion control, and a little exercise. One thing I like about the rotation diet, though, is that I can have a "safe fruit" (I use apples because they are so satisfying) if I am desperate between meals. Other than that,
we have cut out all snacking after our 6 PM meal.
Love you, Kim

Tori Leslie said...

Thank you Connie,
I really needed to be reminded of this verse. We have been going through the ringer in Croatia and now our son has Pnumonia and it almost seemed he would be hospitalized. I thought to myself, I can't take all the stress of the attacks of the Devil but God is so good to not put more on us than we can take.
Thanks for the post!!

Kim S in SC said...

Connie: I'm so glad you shared your story. Sometimes we deceive ourselves or we get caught up in trying to deceive others by pretending we don't battle. But Thank HIM, that His weapons are "not the weapons of this world, on the contrary,they have devine power to demolish strongholds". What a God we serve. Who loves us enough to wield those weapons for us when at times we just can't do it ourselves! I keep learning,(re-learning) that I MUST rely on HIM if I am to walk in obedience. To do otherwise is rebellion, for me. I love your honesty and your ability to bring to light the battle that many of us face!

TO BECOME said...
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TO BECOME said...

Sis. Julie isn't it wonderful that we we don't do as good as we wanted that we can try again and with God's help make it the next time. I am praying for you and thank you for your prayers for me. connie

TO BECOME said...

Dear Rebekah, yes, that aren't many things that we can do in our own strength. I hope you are doing really well now. I have appreciated your prayers for me. thanks so much. connie

TO BECOME said...
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TO BECOME said...

Karen, Nor do we want to play the victim but we want to be the victorious and we can when we belive God and let Him do His work through us. Thank you, connie

TO BECOME said...

Dear Kim in Alaska, Yes, we do want to live and to live abundantly. I am so thankful that when I do fail that when I ask God will forgive and help me to do it right the next try. I love the verse that you gave to me. I will remember.

I don't know anything really about the rotation diet. I do portion control and try to be on the heart healthy food because I am diabetic. It is so slow and sometimes that is not what I want but I have to do it right or I will really mess up my body. Thank you so much Kim for all of your encouragement. I am so happy for you all that you are losing and learning. I hope and pray that I will always let God see areas in my life that I need to change and let Him do it right. The last few years have been such a great blessing. Sometimes is amazing to me how much can be wrong with one person and the Lord still love me and help me. I am so thankful that He does.
I hope you have a safe trip when you come to Texas and I know you will have a wonderful time. love you, connie

TO BECOME said...

Dear Tori, No He want put more on us than we can bear, He makes us that promise. I am so sorry your son has been ill. I pray that he is soon up doing what little boys do best, giving their mom's a hard time and loving them. You will do just fine. The Lord is your strength. Things in Croatia will smooth out soon and you will be able to see how God brought you through with flying colors. I am praying for you and your fine family. love you, connie

TO BECOME said...

Dear Kim S in sc., Thank you. It is really hard to be dishonest in this area of our lives because it is out there for all the world to see. I hope though that even if it wasn't that I would be honest no matter how embarressing it might be. Failure comes to us all, sooner or later but we don't have to stay there. God gave us a free will and we can trust Him to forgive and help us when we need it or we can stay down in our self pity and not look up and be miserable and not accomplish one thing except to continue in our sins. I choose trying again and trusting God. Thanks again, connie