Last night was a STORM for me. A temptation storm. The ENEMY KNEW I was weak. I've had sinus pressure and have had trouble sleeping because of the sinus medication I take. (It just keeps me UP!) Anyhow, my sleep has been compromised and my kids have been home which means my schedule has been WAY different. Though I've managed to still prep my food and maintain 'order' it's not been easy because I've felt sinus pressure a-lot and wanted naps daily because of my sleepiness. Well last night (Friday night) came and the kids had friends over to swim. And I was EXHAUSTED. By the grace of God I wasn't cranky, but cranky was lying dormant waiting to be unleashed under the surface. As I made them their after swimming meals and snacks (s'mores) I felt MYSELF WANTING ONE.
I WANTED A SMORE. (If you're new to following me, what you might not know is I have been sugar, grain and alcohol free for more than 3 years now). This temptation, incidentally, was during my FASTING STRENGTH time of the month too. Ordinarily I'm STRONGEST against temptation at this time. But last night I wanted it and I got really cranky when I could feel my spirit SAYING NO. I looked at my husband Harry (all cranky) and said, "I need a nap; can you please just take over kid duty while I go sleep?" and that's what I did.
I slept for about 45 minutes FRIDAY NIGHT.
And when I woke up, I was BACK IN ACTION! All day I knew I was tired. And I kept drinking water to solve the problem. It didn't fix my energy level. I even broke my fast earlier than planned b/c I was hoping THAT would fix the problem. NOPE. The only fix was SLEEP. Sleep and dehydration imitate one another in our physical energy. I KNEW I wasn't hungry when I broke my fast, but I needed energy to keep up with 3 kids, a busy schedule and a house full of humans. Nothing worked but rest. Yes, I was tempted and yes the enemy likely KNEW that I was weak. He already got me to eat (compliantly) at the wrong time so he was going for gold! But there IS NO TEMPTATION where GOD WILL NOT SHOW YOU A WAY OUT! (1 Corinthians 10:13)
I'm not the cool kid anymore. I nap on Friday nights while others swim, and eat s'mores. AND THAT'S OKAY! God needs me to be who I am and where I am right now FOR HIS KINGDOM.
Temptation is going to happen. Temptation in and of itself is not bad...it's when we give into it that it's bad FOR us. Had I eaten that S'MORE, even just 1 of them, I would've slid right off of this narrow path. God's voice would be distant this morning. Not because I'm a horrible sinner, but because SUGAR AND BAD OILS HIT MY SPIRITUAL MUTE BUTTON. Under the INFLUENCE of sugar, God's voice is so distant and I struggle to be who he needs me to be. Do s'mores taste good? Yes! (& they smell GREAT cooking them in the oven, btw).
BUT NOTHING, NOTHING, tastes as great as HEARING God's voice feels.
If you feel like God's voice is missing or DISTANT in your life, you need to look at what you're eating. The world will not teach you this, but FOOD and the stronghold it has on you IS a weapon formed against you. It keeps you in bondage TO IT. It keeps you running to IT for comfort and joy and rest instead of God. I'm on the other side of knowing this now. NO ONE ever told me that my God voice was directly impacted by my food choice. But once God showed me this, I've been free from my food prison. I've torn down the idols that I used to run to for everything. Alcohol for stress relief and sugar for enjoyment. NOW, I live with HIS Spirit guiding me when I'm weak in the face of temptation. I want that for you! I want that for EVERYONE. A byproduct of SEEKING HIS KINGDOM first has been obedience with greater ease...and weight loss. Who knew!?
Remember: Temptation will come. It WILL be hard. But God will show you a way out. Go to Him. Seek HIS POWER because it's made perfect in your weakness...even against s'mores.
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