Diet with the Bible ~ 2-5: Eating on Purpose

For those of us who find ourselves on the heavy side, eating on purpose is probably something we've never really thought much about. During the next two weeks we'll look at what and when we eat and work on having more "purpose" in our nutrition.

Eating on purpose takes a bit of work. In Stage 1 we began to eat on purpose as we removed tempting foods from our house and made a plan. In these next two weeks we'll continue what we've begun. We'll focus our eating to bring it more under control. Every bite we put in our mouth will have a purpose.

This step is most difficult for me on those days when I'm overwhelmed or tired. When my sinuses are really acting up or I have a headache, I seem to completely forget my plan. But having a purpose in my eating habits helps keep me from going too far off.

Emotional eating is one of the things that can cause us to not eat on purpose. Overcoming emotional eating is one of the places where being a follower of Jesus Christ can give you an edge. Remember, it still might not happen overnight, but as we gradually learn to trust Jesus more, we will "trust" food less. Hopefully, little by little you'll turn to Christ, prayer, your Bible and trusted Christian friends when you're having an emotional eating pang. This would be a good week to set a spiritual goal linked to your emotional eating. Perhaps you'll pray instead of eat or write a letter to God in a journal every day to help keep some of your emotions from building up. You could read one chapter from your Bible before you allow yourself to have a snack every day. Or just be creative and think of something that will help you create a healthy spiritual habit and break an unhealthy eating habit at the same time. You and Jesus CAN DO IT!

Stage Two Step 5 - Week 1

Perhaps you've read Rick Warren's Book "The Purpose Driven Life." If not, I encourage you to pick it up. It will help you realize what you were put on this earth for. This week we're going to focus on "Eating on Purpose" so our study will kick of with a few verses reminding us that not only our eating should be on purpose, our entire living should be.

Read Galatians 4:18: It is fine to be committed to something, if the purpose is good. And you shouldn't be committed only when I am with you. You should always be committed. (New International Reader's Version)

Read Philippians 2:13: God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to be in keeping with his good purpose. (New International Reader's Version)

1. The Bible speaks often of purpose. The more we read scripture, the more we discover God had/has a purpose in everything he did/does. The verse above from Galatians says that we should be committed to things with a good purpose. What things are you good at committing to or have a hard time committing to?
2. This week's theme is "Eating on Purpose." What do you think your purpose in eating should be?
3. What are some reasons that we eat that aren't in "keeping with God's good purpose?"
   
   Read 1 Corinthians 3:16
   
   
4. How does this verse put the purpose of your eating in perspective? How can remembering this verse help us with our eating habits.
5. The Message says: "Form your purpose by asking for counsel, then carry it out using all the help you can get." (Proverbs 20:18) How can this group provide counsel and help you "form your purpose" as you change your attitude toward a healthy lifestyle?
6. This group's purpose is to give you "all the help you can get." What's the one thing you've discovered so far that you need help with? How can the group help you?

Remember, we want to make this YOUR lifestyle. If one or more of those action steps just doesn't help you live a more healthy lifestyle, choose a substitute from the list right above the action steps. Perhaps you'd switch eating in the same place everyday for not skipping meals. If you've already been planning your meals or did a good job previously in making a list of what you CAN eat, swap Step #3 for "Plan for Snacks" or "Cut back on Late Night Eating" YOU CAN DO THIS!!! Make changes to your lifestyle that will stick forever, and don't feel bad if someone else follows these Action Steps perfect and you can't. We've each been created different and unique. So create your own different and unique healthy lifestyle! Go for it!!!

Stage 2 Step 5 - Week 2

Read Proverbs 16:3

1. What kind of encouragement do you receive when you consider that by committing whatever you do to God, "your plans will succeed"?
2. What does this tell us about the need to plan?
3. How has your planning been going with your healthy lifestyle? Share your plans with the group?
   - - a. What are your plans for meeting your nutrition goals for this week?
   
   - - b. What are your plans for meeting your exercise goals for this week?
   
   - - c. What are your plans for meeting your spiritual goals for this week?
   
   
4. How can you commit your healthy lifestyle to God?
   
   Read Psalm 37:5-9
   
   
5. Look at this passage verse by verse and talk about how it relates to committing your healthy lifestyle to God.
   - - a. What would it mean if God made your righteousness (the good habits your creating in you new healthy lifestyle) shine like the dawn.
   
   - - b. How are you at waiting patiently on the results of your healthy lifestyle? Are you fretting when others succeed but you don't seem to be losing any weight or getting better cholesterol numbers?
   
   - - c. Fretting . . . What does it lead to? How does fretting hinder you goals in this endeavor?
   
   - - d. Commit to the Lord . . . Put your hope in Him . . . What does it mean to you to inherit the land?

I love comments! I would be blessed if you could tell me how your healthy lifestyle is going! Go ahead . . . type something, you can do it!