How Sin Makes Me Fat

It happened again yesterday.  I was dwelling on a recent failure, a moment when I wigged out because I sensed someone stepping into my "territory," tenuous as it is, and suddenly, chocolate sounded like a good idea.  Not only was it a good idea, it was just up the stairs, beyond anyone's view--chocolate-covered peanut butter balls.  And I knew it would solve my problem.  And make me feel better. And the world would be a better place.  Yeah, right.

Sometimes I eat because of legitimate hunger.  Sometimes because of unabashed indulgence.  Sometimes because of guilt, or fear, or hurt or frustration or....  You've got it.  Perhaps you live it.  And that's the problem.  The problem isn't the food, its tastiness or abundance.  The problem isn't my appetite.  God created both.  The problem is my heart.  Surprise!

How deceived I am to think that more sin is going to counteract initial sin...or continuing sin.  Sure, that little voice says, pile it on.  It's too late to make a difference, but you'll feel better.  You'll be satisfied.  Distracted.  All the bad little thoughts will go away.  Oh, what lies!  Self-indulgence breeds self-indulgence.  If self-control is a practice of discipline, a lack of self-control is a practice in lack of discipline.  Practice becomes performance.  And sin breeds sin.  It grows, takes on the worst of our personality, and we become captive to its desires, and consequences, and guilt, and continued choices of loss.

So, what's the answer?  Bob Newhart says, "Stop it!"  God says much the same thing--but He's in it with us.  If we have repented, believing that Jesus took our sin upon Him and rose again, we have His Spirit and His Word as our help and guide.  Here is a reminder of how to take hold of those thoughts and choices that threaten to overwhelm us:

1) Take every thought captive.  If I'm not aware of my thought life, I cannot control my words or actions.  What I think is what I become. (2 Corinthians 10:5, Proverbs 23:7)
2) Confront lies and deceit with truth.  God's Word is true.  It is living and active.  When I become aware of lies in my thought life, I need to apply the Word of God to the falsehood and "preach reality" to myself.  This happens as I search out appropriate Scripture, read it, meditate on it and memorize it. (Romans 12:2, Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 4:17-23)
3) Cast the fear, anger, guilt away.  Jesus died for that sin.  It's forgiven.  Seek forgiveness as needed and move on. (1 Peter 5:6-7, Hebrews 9:13-14)
4)  Make choices as a new creation.  Choose now to do what is right.  Choose now to live apart from sin.  Christ lives in and through you, so live as He would live.  You may suffer for doing right.  That's to be expected.  (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, 2 Timothy 3:12)

Finally, I'm not in it alone.  I have others to help. To pray.  To encourage.  We are called to help one another avoid the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).  But, oh, the smoke in the mirror seems so real.  And so does the chocolate!