Q & A - Eating Issues

Happy Wednesday everyone! For Q & A this week, we want to comment on a question from a woman who begins by describing her experience:

"It just starts with some thoughts that you are unattractive and fat, then it took me to a place where I started to eat less and less, sometimes not eating for days at a time. When that wasn't enough or the scale didn't change, then I would use pills or make myself vomit. Now, sometimes I can go months without struggling this way but once I'm there again it seems hopeless, and I already feel defeated...I can never find any resources or books that are Christian on this type of thing so I was going to see if you knew of any or had suggestions."

I respect the honesty communicated in this question.  I have talked with different girls over the years who face serious temptation in the area of eating. Their desire for food or lack thereof has been an ongoing, difficult, and often discouraging battle. Many women struggle with sins of this kind, which reminds us once again of the truth in Scripture, that: “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.”

This verse goes on to renew our hope because: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond you ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” 1 Cor. 10:13.

While this temptation is indeed common, more help and truth is needed than I could possibly provide in a brief post. However, help is available, and I do want to recommend an excellent resource on this topic: Love to Eat, Hate to Eat by Elyse Fitzpatrick.

In this book, Mrs. Fitzpatrick provides biblical hope to those who feel “stuck” in ungodly patterns of eating by diagnosing the problem: remaining sin in our hearts. Eating “disorders” are not a disease from which we need to be healed, but rather sin from which we must repent and turn away.

But the good news is that Jesus died to free us from the power of sin and ungodly eating habits are no exception.  His sacrifice makes it possible for us to fight our sin and experience the grace of forgiveness and change. As we humble ourselves before the truth found in Scripture, we will find joy and freedom.

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 6:22-23