I need to lose about 25 pounds to be at my ideal weight. I don’t have a problem overeating, but I have an incredible sweet tooth. And I’ve discovered that losing weight when you have a sweet tooth is like skipping that morning cup of coffee when you’re addicted to caffeine. Now I realize that caffeine causes a physical addiction that creates withdrawal symptoms that only a dose of caffeine will alleviate, whereas sugar causes a psychological addiction. In other words, I only think I need a candy bar. But that’s where my problem begins. I think and think and think about that candy bar or bowl of ice cream or piece of apple pie. I think myself right into having a piece. And I’ve discovered that the addiction to sweets can resemble our addiction to sin. But is a physical addiction to something really worse than a psychological addiction? As far as I can tell, an addiction is an addiction, regardless of the source.
When you’re suffering from a caffeine-related headache, a cup of coffee or caffeinated beverage will take it away, at least for the moment. But it’ll be back because your addiction is physical. When you’re psychologically addicted to sweets, I’ve discovered that eating a candy bar is like dabbling in sin. Initially, it feels good and provides a bit of satisfaction. But before long, I need another one. When you’re addicted to sweets, one sweet doesn’t satisfy your craving; neither does the second or the third or the fourth. It’s a lot like sin. A little sin doesn’t satisfy the flesh; neither does a little more or a little more.
James 1:14-15 says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
Eating a candy bar or having a package of cookies is not a sin, but overindulgence is. Proverbs 25:16 says, “Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.” So it’s okay to enjoy a sweet treat every now and then, but even the Bible warns us against eating too much. God expects us to control our desires.
Because of my upbringing, when I left home, I wasn’t in the habit of indulging in sweets. Since I was now an adult, accountable to no one in that department, bad habits started to creep in and I didn’t realize it until they had a firm grip on my life. So before I can successfully shed those extra pounds I’ve put on, I need to re-establish good eating habits.
I Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Some activities are out-in-out sin; and no one can sin to the glory of God. But some of our favorite activities can be healthy for us unless we choose to overindulge.
- sports – great activity so long as you don’t put it before God or your family.
- reading – a good educational tool, especially the Bible, unless you’re reading all the wrong kinds of literature or losing yourself in fiction for hours every day.
- work – a necessary part of life needed to take care of yourself and your family, but too much work makes you a workaholic and causes you to neglect the very ones you’re trying to care for.
- food – necessary to sustain life, but overindulgence or eating all the wrong foods (like the sweets I’m addicted to) leads to weight gain and various types of physical ailments.
- rest / sleep – a necessary part of life and something God knows we need, but overindulgence leads to laziness.
Whatever you do in life, you should be able to do it all for the glory of God. But if you can’t, you may need to evaluate your activities and the time spent doing them.