I wrote this message about 5 years ago in examining my own history with binge eating.
As night follows the day, so did guilt and shame descend upon me after a binge. Perhaps this message will help those who are struggling with guilt and shame in the aftermath of binging:
“I feel guilty or I feel ashamed.”
How many times has this happened: You are tempted to binge, you take the bait, and then after the binge is over, a nasty voice tells you how awful you are for taking it!
In my own life, this has happened to me too many times to count.
When I was writing this, a scene from the Peanuts comic strip came to mind.
Remember how Lucy always tempted Charlie Brown with the football? She would lie and tell Charlie Brown that she would hold the football for him to kick.
Now Charlie Brown knew that Lucy would probably pull the football away at the last second because she always had.
But somehow, she always managed to convince him that this time, it would be different.
Lucy would hold the football, Charlie Brown would run for it, pull back for the kick…and Lucy would pull the ball away, leaving poor Charlie Brown tumbling head over heels.
The final frame would usually show him lying on the ground, bruised and humiliated. Lucy would be standing over him, giving him yet another reason as to why he shouldn’t have trusted her.
It’s the same thing with temptation; each time you go for it, you think the outcome is going to be different.
It never is. You always end up bruised and battered.
If you have stumbled, remember that God loves you anyway.
Confess and repent. Ask God to show where you slipped so you can learn from it and move forward. That’s it.
Receive your forgiveness and move forward. Condemnation and guilt have no place there.
In my thesaurus, the word guilt has many synonyms: Blame, fault, error, and crime.
The true reason that Satan likes to inspire guilt in us is to make us feel too ashamed to go to God, to keep us separated from Him.
However, just as we love and forgive our children when they mess up, God does the same for us. The Bible states, “Who can bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33 NKJV).
As God’s children, nothing can separate us from His love, not tribulation, not distress, or sword. We have an advocate in Jesus Christ.
Think of it: You’ve got Satan on one side, quoting all of your sins before God chapter and verse, and you’ve got Jesus on the other side, the greatest lawyer who ever lived.
He can answer each one of the enemy’s charges with a simple, “That sin is forgiven. I already paid the price.”
Again, all we have to do is ask for that forgiveness and the Father will grant it. The bible assures us of that fact. The only way you can combat a lie is with the truth.
So the next time you hear a voice that is telling you, “You are a sinner; you’re not good enough,” you can answer, “According to 1 John 1:9, I am forgiven. According to John 16:27, I am loved. That’s the truth and that’s all I need to know.”
Be Blessed with Health, Healing, and Wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Author of the Take Back Your Temple weight loss program
P.S. Have you struggled with binge eating? If so, you are not alone.
I struggled with binge eating for years and know about the discouragement and frustration that comes with it.
But there is hope! You can overcome binge eating, enjoy food freedom, and develop a healthy relationship with food.
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Kimberly,
Wow….what an aphiphany!!! I was reading your biopsy relating to “gluttony” and really was feeling like I was hearing the “Word” from you and the answers I have been searching for. The glorious moment was when I came across your mentioning of the Peanuts comic strip and alas, here I was watching “The Peanuts movie”; it was like God was sending me a sign. I am 51 and going through menopause and it’s been tough. I have gained so much weight and I am disgusted in myself. I no longer feel pretty anymore, comfortable in my own skin. I feel so ashamed that all I want to do is stuff myself with food and get so much Joy from taste. I try to be obedient to God, but I sin with involving myself in gluttony every day. I try each day again and again to not do it but I keep falling into the trap. I feel so bad about this. I will have to pray about this more and hope soon I will repent enough to rid of this sin.
Thank you so much for writing this helpful article …I’m so glad I found it.
Danielle
You are welcome, Danielle – remember, the Lord is about restoration, not condemnation. So seek His wisdom as to the next steps to take for your freedom.
Mrs Kim,
You blessed me so much in this story about guilt and shame. I know that God forgives me…I wept as I read this, I even called my Mother and shared the story. She also cried and told me that God was speaking to her about guilt and shame at the same moment. She said SEE how GOD works. It was what she needed to hear too.
Sonja
That is awesome, Sonja! God does not want us to live in guilt and shame. He wants us free! I am so glad you are embracing the truth. God bless you!
Thankyou so much. This article was exactly what I needed to read where I am right now. May God inspire many more words in you that change lives. God bless.
Thank you, This is really great and so much help in my time of need. The hardest thing is to remember that Jesus forgives and no matter what He still loves us! Its a glorious thought and I thank you again for writing this!
Thank you and God Bless
You are welcome, Alex! I give all glory to God to teach me that even when we mess up, He is there is put us back on the right road 🙂