Food is vital to our physical bodies; without it, we can't survive. However, sometimes food can be a real thorn in our flesh. Sometimes if we don't make good decisions with our food, that daily donut could very well lead to diabetes.
But sugar...it's an addiction! Caffeine! Carbs! Who am I without you!?
For as long as I can remember, I've noticed that when I'm in a rut, I go to carbs. Carbs are fast. They give us a surge of renewing energy. Don't you love them too? They make us feel excited and help us get through the day. The thought of a PayDay between breakfast and lunch makes my whole world light up! What joy a little package of sugar and peanuts can do for you.
Similarly, when I'm in a spiritual rut, I tend to focus only on the "carbs" of God's Word--the parts that will make me feel good fast and give me an energetic new perspective on whatever I'm facing. I need it quickly, too. In my rapidly changing day, I need something pocket-sized and zippy. A podcast here, an Instagram verse bedecked in flowers there. I need renewal, but I need it fast.
And yes, all of this is good!
However, oftentimes I miss out on what God has for me. So often we head straight to the "fast food" section, often missing out on the "meat" of the word. The good stuff that takes time to cultivate, season, and prepare takes a while to chew on. Sometimes it's tough, and it might not even digest easily. Sure, who's going to choose raw vegetables over a sugary donut? Vegetables might not give us a zip in our step, but they're full of life-giving water and vitamins, things our bodies need to keep moving and thriving. That roast in the crockpot takes hours to prepare, but think of the sustaining energy we receive from its nutrients.
Because of my busy-ness, I have found I tend to opt out on the "tough, slow stuff" that can sustain me like nothing else. The meat of the Word will help keep me on my toes, fit in terms of grounded in the Words of the bible, and full--really and truly satisfied--with my life and where God is taking me.
So ponder this question: Are we truly full and satisfied on what we're "eating" from the bible?
Just as it takes discipline to eat right and several days, weeks, and months to develop a good habit, it takes time in the Word to develop the skills we need to survive in this world and honor God's desire for us.
Everything we read shouldn't send us straight to the spiritual Dairy Queen. Sometimes, what we discover in the Word is tough to handle, understand, and we might even need help in the kitchen! We might need to seek additional guidance to understand everything we read. Too often, if we can't get the oven to work, we stop trying. (guilty) We give up. (guilty) We'll let Grandma sort it out. (guilty)Sometimes we need to consult the manual or the cookbook! (Okay...I get it...I went a little overboard with my metaphors...)
I need to grow up in God's Word. Sometimes I don't always act my age. After all, I'm responsible for teaching my kiddos healthy habits. Sometimes we expect our husbands, parents, pastors, teachers, and friends (or even the internet!) to teach and take care of our spiritual life for us, but that's not all God wants out of us. He wants us to explore the Word in order to discover who He is so we can therefore see who WE are in Him.
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. Deuteronomy 8:3-5
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