“Comfort” food

Meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, hotdogs, hamburgers, and French fries - are often labeled ‘comfort food.’ They are simple foods that remind us of home, safety, and what we remember as simpler times in our lives. Most likely you have an item or two on your own list that bring back memories of a family time or a holiday gathering. These are called “comfort foods” because when we grow anxious about life and we seek a way to reduce our feelings of stress, we often turn to them. Food is one of the most common ways we treat our anxieties.

I know what stress and anxiety can do. At this time, there are a couple of large work-related decisions looming that weigh heavily on my mind. There is stress that is more personal as I carry the weight of responsibility for extended family. Some level of stress is common for all of us – bills that come due, deadlines for projects, people problems, work-related choices. And, all of this sometimes causes us to unconsciously seek to be comforted. That’s where the potential for big problems arises! Not only are our own emotions in play, there is a real Enemy of all that is good and godly who exploits, to any degree possible, our vulnerabilities. If we are unaware of his schemes, we can easily be led beyond the comfort found in a hamburger or a big piece of cake! Not only do we have to take control of our own impulses, we also must learn to deal with the devils that tempt us to sin.

Millions of people who enter a majorly stressful time in their lives detour into majorly dysfunctional or sinful behaviors, mistakenly thinking they will find comfort or relief. Their choices actually create greater difficulties. Overspending is a major temptation in our consumer culture. “Feeling down? Buy something!” is what many think and credit cards with big balances result! One recent day that was particularly full of pressure, I found myself wrestling with the irrational desire for a new car, despite already owning two nice vehicles! Some are tempted by some illicit sexual involvement. The news constantly reports the affairs of the famous and wealthy, those who succumb to the temptation that they can find comfort for their lonely, stressed heart with a sexual experience. Rage is another temptation. Ask those who lash out at others with abusive words or fists why they do it and you will often discover an individual who does not know how to find relief for stress.

Disciple, the Word urges us to be aware of the temptations that come our way and to look underneath the obvious symptoms for the real spiritual sickness. While it is wrong to blame all our temptations on the devil, there is the warning that we must not "unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!" (2 Corinthians 2:11, The Message) He can show up disguised as an "angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14, KJV) Don’t minimize his ability to twist the good things of life into a scheme for your destruction! Jesus Himself, during a time of stress and personal testing, was accosted by the devil who tried to get Him to misuse power, food, and even faith in God!

Be aware of your own weaknesses and develop strategies to keep yourself from falling into destructive patterns. If you know that you’re being tempted to eat too much, hide the desserts! If you know that you tend to fall into self-defeating thought patterns when you isolate yourself, get out and find a friend or become a volunteer at your church. If you become an angry, mean person go to a class and learn about what triggers those outbursts! God promises that His Spirit will be active in us, but we must cooperate with Him. We must learn about ourselves. If we do not, then we will become victims, instead of living as victors through Christ Jesus, our Savior and Lord.

Here’s a word from the Word. I pray that the principle it teaches about being aware of what’s going on behind the scenes, about having real discernment and understanding, will call us to maturity, self-control, and to lives that are controlled by the Spirit. "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God … This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. … You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:1-4, NIV)

Remember this promise and take it for yours, as you seek the powerful Comfort that is found in the Presence of God. "If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols (false gods or comforts)." (1 Corinthians 10:12-14, NLT)