Did you know that emotional eating has a theme song?
The 70s song title, “Hooked on a Feeling” popped into my head the morning after a Live Zoom meeting I had with our Take Back Your Temple program members recently.
Our topic was “Taking Control of Temptation.” Emotional eating is often not about food, but the feeling behind the food.
On that subject, we discussed James 1:12-15:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when its full-grown, brings forth death.”
This scripture tells us that the enemy uses our heart desires to entice us. Synonyms for the word “entice” are:
- Lure
- Bait
- Decoy
- Betray
Consider fishing.
A skilled fisherman is not going to use any old lure to catch the fish. Rather, he is going to use a lure that resembles something he knows the fish likes!
The lure attracts the fish. The lure promises pleasure, but delivers death.
What is the feeling the enemy is using to hook you concerning emotional eating?
Do your temptations promise a feeling of:
- Joy
- Peace
- Love
- Specialness
- Belonging
Wikipedia has this intriguing description of why fish behave the way they do in the presence of lures:
Why a fish bites a baited hook or lure involves several factors related to the sensory physiology, behaviour, feeding ecology, and biology of the fish as well as the environment and characteristics of the bait/hook/lure. There is an intricate link between various fishing techniques and knowledge about the fish and their behaviour including migration, foraging and habitat. The effective use of fishing techniques often depends on this additional knowledge.”
The enemy is a great fisherman. He studies our repeated behavior to discern which lure to use in reeling us in.
Genesis 3:1 describes the enemy as ”cunning.” The definition of cunning is, “having or showing skill in achieving one’s ends by deceit or evasion.”
Lures are effective because, up until the moment of capture, the fish believes the lure will deliver on its promise of a tasty meal.
Unfortunately, the hook within the lure captures the fish and costs her life.
Now, while a fish may be at the mercy of her instincts in an attractive lure’s presence, as believers in Jesus, we are not.
Because we have mind of Christ; we can ask the Lord to help us recognize lures in our lives.
The Lord makes us a promise concerning temptation in 1 Corinthians 10:13:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
The Lord makes us a way of escape from every temptation. Ask Him today:
- What is the lure the enemy is using to entrap me?
Reflect on the Lord’s love for you and the love you have for Him to expose the desires of your heart.
Each day in prayer, tell the Lord in prayer that want Him as the desire of your heart, the center of your affections.
Your heart desire for a stronger relationship with God is one that you prioritize above all others because, unlike the enemy, the Lord keeps His promises!
The Lord delivers life in abundance. So today choose life, not the lure:
- Joy: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).”
- Peace: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6).”
- Love: “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:6).”
- Specialness: “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth (Deuteronomy 7:6).”
- Belonging: “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord God (Ezekiel 16:8).”
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.
Hi. I completely agree with the article. We are sometimes too open and our enemies use it. They play ruthlessly with our emotions and it’s scary. So, after another disappointment, I decided to pray. And it helped me. Here I found my peace, finally dealt with my emotions and in general began to look at the world a little differently.
Praise God, Eva – I am so happy that you shared your testimony about how the Lord came through for you. May you continue to prosper and be in health as your soul prospers!
Today l start my journey of leading on God’s power to success in loding weight and renewing my mind not to rely of my willpower which success is temporary. I have loss weight many of times telling myself l have the willpower only too hate myself for the lack thereof. Your book is an eye opener too the things l already aware of but over the years going through so many tragedies and disappointments l lost my way and began being governed in the flesh rim of eating to control my emotions and l stopped living in the spiritual rim and relying on the Holy Spirit too lead me to the word of God when l am faced with adversities. I know now the same faith l use to not yield to temptation in other areas of my life to obey God l forgot about it works the same in my emotional eating habits. I thank God l saw your posted appeared in the Facebook feed and l was lead to purchase it. While l read the entire book immediately l began to think that my life can be changed for $7 when in l have spent hundreds over the last 25 years dieting relying on my own willpower
Thank you for that praise report, Evangeline! May the Lord continue to bless you as you walk in freedom day-by-day, relying on His word as your wisdom and His Holy Spirit for strength to walk it out.
Excellent!
Thank you, Sharon – God is good!