Relationships
I continue to be struck with how my journey through weight loss parallels my spiritual journey – not at the same time, but I can relate experiences here with experiences there…
Yesterday I was reading an article on the use of a particular substance that some find to be sinful, others don’t find it so. One line stuck with me:
It’s not the substance that’s the sin, it’s your relationship with it.
Bingo! Like a light bulb had gone off in my head! It doesn’t matter what the “substance” is, it’s your relationship with it that makes it sin or not. Your substance of choice may be food (chocolate for me this week), or something else. Or it can be a volunteer position that takes priority over God or your family. It may be a toxic relationship that you need to end, but can’t seem to find the inner strength.
There are obviously exceptions, but within reason, anything can be used for the glory of God, and those same things, if used to excess or abused, can be sinful.
The calendar tells me that it’s spring, but there is still a little snow on the ground. I’m itching to be in the garden. There have been years that I’ve enjoyed this to excess – this is a wonderful hobby, but my kids will tell you that there is such a thing as too much yellow squash! This hobby can also take time that belongs to my family, which makes it sin.
Another thing in my life is college. If I even want to finish, I need to continue to take a certain number of classes a semester. But if I don’t balance, I become overwhelmed. I drop out of Bible study, I spend too much time in front of my computer (with web design and data base classes, that’s where my homework is). My home suffers and that makes a good thing sinful.
Breaking through to “owning the knowledge” that balance – not in control, not controlled – is key – it can be a very freeing thing. In some areas I have it, in some areas I don’t. I ask God to grant me conviction where I need to become aware of my own lack of control.
 “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”—but God will destroy them both. ~1 Cor. 6:12-13
It seems that as many times as I “learn” this lesson, I keep having to learn it again and again. (I’m very glad that Cadbury egg season is over). I need to take a constant inventory – what is attempting to master me today?
Lord, help me to keep my focus on You, to be mastered by the Master. Let me understand that the things of earth will not and cannot last, only the eternal matters.
Thanks for your thoughts on this today. It make so much sense, and I really havent looked at it this way. Thanks for making me more aware of how the choices i make, may not really be good choices, even if i think they are. God bless you today and always.
Ellen,
This is a great post. Well written and just bursting with truth. Every one of us has a substance that is a sin for us. When we read thispost it will bring that sin relationship up before us again. I am reminded to bring that relationship again before the Lord. I loved this, Thank you.
Definitely one that is getting relearned again and again here. As soon as something becomes controlling the Lord removes it until I remember that lesson. It is also why my guard goes up when people start spouting the more legalistic philosophy of Christianity. All things are “good” but not all things are best, and even that is within certain seasons, but we also have to be careful not to hurt others with our freedoms. GReat post.
Thanks for sharing such a truthful post, bless you.
Funny…I just posted about a similar thing. It is all about the relationship with the substance. Great post.
I agree, the key is balance…I do sometimes things that are not beneficial for anyone.
Thank you for sharing, Ellen.