A life of food bingeing is a living hell. I know because I once lived there.
It was a life lived on an emotional roller-coaster of sugar highs and crashes.
I felt out of control and berated myself for the lack of self control.
I felt frustrated and bewildered. It appeared I had everything else in my life under control; why not this?
In the meantime, my weight paid the price of my food bingeing habit.
I knew I was headed for disaster. After all, my grandmother died of a stroke when she was just 47 years-old.
What I didn’t realize then was that I was on the wrong side of a game of ”Choose your Own Adventure.” That’s the power of Choice.
Proverbs Chapter 9 speaks of this power and the two paths a person can take in life:
- The Way of Wisdom
- The Way of Folly
I highly recommend studying Proverbs 9 and appropriating its words for yourself!
Wisdom is defined as: ”the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.”
Folly is defined as: a ”lack of good sense; foolishness.”
Voices from both paths call to us every day.
Each voice tries to convince us to take their way: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! (Proverbs 9:4 and Proverbs 9:16)”
Wisdom gives us truth: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you (Proverbs 9:10-11)”
The ”fear” in ”fear of the Lord” is best translated as ”awe”; it means reverencing, honoring, and respecting the Lord enough to do what He says.
Picture a person bowing before the presence of a King. It’s a position of humility.
On the other hand, Folly discounts God. It says, “Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant (Proverbs 9:17).”
Folly deceives a person in making impulsive choices for the moment, not heeding the warnings of future consequence.
Folly puts the person in a dangerous place of self-will and rebelliousness, which is a position of pride: ”You can’t tell me what to do.”
Folly applauds illicit activities of stealing and hiding, even with food.
Folly plays on the fleshly thrill of ”getting away with it”. Or so the person thinks!
But Folly is a liar. It denies the truth of Galatians 6:7:
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
Proverbs 9 concludes about the person who takes Folly’s path: ”But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell.”
I can attest to this: food bingeing kept me in a living hell!
But back on December 11, 2003, I decided to take a different path. I had a chest pain that I thought would kill me.
God spoke to me in the midst of that pain: ”It is not supposed to be this way.”
After years of food bingeing interrupted by periods of fruitless dieting, I had a choice: Would I believe what God said?
My answer was ”Yes”! How about you?
I decided to renew my mind and take the path of wisdom and healing, with God on my side:
- When I lacked wisdom in my food choices, I asked God for wisdom to choose foods to heal my brain and body according to the promise in James 1:5.
- When I stumbled, I checked my path and removed the stumbling blocks, making a straight path for my feet (see Hebrews 12:13).
- When I lacked strength to make the right choices, I asked the Lord to strengthen me with might through His Spirit in my inner man (see Ephesians 3:16).
Has wisdom’s path been easy? Not always. But even when it is challenging, it is worth it!
Wisdom’s path is life-giving and life sustaining.
I implore you to do what I did; follow the wisdom of Proverbs 9:6 – ”Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.”
Wisdom is the only way to escape a living hell.
My prayer is that you choose the path of life every day because eternal life is your destiny as a child of God, not a living hell.
Be Blessed with Health, Healing, and Wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Author/Christian Life Coach of the Take Back Your Temple Weight Loss Community
P.S. Do you struggle with overeating sugar? If so, you are not alone!
Overcoming sugar addiction was a key factor on my weight loss journey; I lost 85 pounds and dropped from a size 22 to an 8.
In our 14-day Sugar Detox Challenge online course (inside the Take Back Your Temple Community), you’ll get the same success strategies and support to gain peace in your eating habits and achieve lasting weight loss.
Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple Christian Weight Loss Community.
Awesome and I asks God for strength to walk each day. Now my prayer is not to eat anything after 7pm. Fill my cup Lord I’d lift it up to you amen.
Thanks for your relating bingeing to a living hell because it is. I appreciate your words and the biblical scripture words of wisdom. I really want to get over being addicted to bingeing and certain “food”.
Kimberly !!! The Wisdom you share is the best nourishment… thank you
I give God all the praise, Lisa!
I already had these verses (Prov 9:17-18) underlined. It is good to keep drawing my attention to these. Thank you for your emails. You have so much Godly wisdom. Bless you!
Praise God, Jacqueline – I’m glad you have the verses. Have you appropriated them – made them yours? That’s where the change comes. Here is more about how to do that. Truth known doesn’t change us. Truth DONE changes us. May the Lord bless you.
Thanks Kimberly. I’ve been struggling with a bad ankle since Thanksgiving. I need to get 50-60 pounds off of this body to help it heal. Scriptures about wisdom have often opened my eyes to my own self deception, but Hebrews 12:13 was particularly meaningful for me today.
I pray healing for your ankle, Liz and am thankful that you are seeking God’s wisdom in your challenge.
This is an excellent teaching and counsel. I love the way you explained it because it’s so very true. Thank you so much.
I am so glad this spoke to you, Donna – may you be blessed as you take the path of wisdom!
This applies to my food choices and so much more! Thank you for sharing truthful, biblical perspectives!
Thanks for your comment, Monica – may the Lord bless you abundantly!
Thank God for His word that always sets us on the right path. His word is light and life!
Amen, Grace! I just thought about Psalm 16:11 – ”You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”