In talking to an engaged couple recently I realized yet another difference between me and my wife. I eat when I get hungry. She eats when it is time to eat. She pretty much schedules her meals. I eat when necessity and opportunity align themselves.
She pointed out (in her wifely wisdom) that she is normally hanging out with our daughter, a growing child who is quite active. As such, they need to eat on a regular basis for several reasons.
Our child goes like the Energizer bunny and almost has to be forced to stop (or at least slow down) and eat. Convenience then dictates that they both eat at the same time. I eat when I get hungry.
My job is unpredictable, so I am used to not eating on a regular basis. I have had too many days when I did not get to eat at all. This is a violation of the police officer unwritten rule book, which states, “We will not get wet. We will eat. We will go home on time.”
Consequently, sometimes I suffer from malnutrition or hunger, or weakness, or lightheadedness, or crankiness as a result of not having eaten in a while. While I may want to believe its not my fault…I just need to eat.
God reminded me that my spiritual weaknesses are the result of the same thing. I did not eat. He began to remind me how when I was a new Christian, I ate a lot. I ate every chance I got because I was active. I realized I was using and requiring spiritual energy on the regular, and I needed to eat to stay strong.
It seemed the more I ate, the more I needed to eat, the more I wanted to eat, and the more I enjoyed eating. Lately? Not so much. It dawned on me that I was waiting for signs of weakness, fatigue, crankiness, or hunger before I will sit down and eat.
The problem with that approach is necessity often comes separate from opportunity. Without opportunity, just knowing I need to eat does not help me, in fact it makes it worse that I can not eat knowing that I need to eat.
I lied to myself by thinking I did not control opportunity. I can schedule opportunity by eating on a regular basis, just like my wife and daughter do. I will make time throughout my day to eat, spiritually and literally.
I need to increase my spiritual metabolism and eat more often, even if smaller portions. The huge meal, which I too often don’t have time to prepare, eat and digest, is causing me to miss too many meals. I also can get too full to really be able to get right back into the fight.
My spirit is growing, like a child, it is active and needs to be fed regularly. I am getting back on schedule and convincing myself that I need to replenish while I still have strength.
Are you hungry? Make the time to eat. God loves it when we come to Him for a “Scooby snack”. Esteem His word more than your necessary food…
Everyday God... 