Diet: Why Don't We Do the Good We Should? Women 44-65

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
(Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV).

Hello Dear Sisters! Our focus scripture for this week is from the book of Galatians, in which the Apostle Paul encourages believers in Galatia to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to help them to live a Godly life. He shares that the Holy Spirit will help them fight the pull of the sinful nature, which  is evil and contrary to the will of God. He tells them that the outcome of a life guided by the Holy Spirit  is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. He presents the good news that the Spirit of God lives in them to do what they would be unable to do in their own strength. 

Just like the Galatians, on our own we lack the power and strength to say no to temptations. On our own we cannot do the good we should do. Without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:5). Without Him we lack the self-control to refuse the things that do us no good and to continue in the good we ought, when it comes to a healthy diet. Self –control is submitting the power of the will to the power of the Spirit. (Vine's Expository). Self- control allows us to think before we act and to consider the results of acting without thinking. 

Let Me Testify
I was warned a few years ago that I was pre-diabetic, after I had an abnormal random blood sugar test result. I also had several risk factors for the development of diabetes: 

• Family history - My paternal grandmother and aunt were both insulin dependent diabetics.
• Ethnicity - I am of African American descent, a group with a higher incidence of diabetes than any other ethnic group.
• Obesity - I was overweight.
• Lifestyle - I lived a somewhat sedentary lifestyle, not doing any form of regular exercise.
• Diet - My diet lacked fruits and vegetables, important nutrients and water.
• Hgb A1C level - I also had a steadily climbing blood glucose levels over a three-month period.

I had all of the ingredients to cross over the line of pre-diabetic into a full blown diagnosis of diabetes. I was advised, during my pre-diabetic stage, to exercise regularly (at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week), limit portions on my plate, increase my intake of fruit and veggies, drink more water, avoid food with high fat content and foods lacking nutritional value.

Although I knew what I should do, I did not. The culprit in my life was a lack of self- control. I ate and drank whatever appealed to my appetite, i.e. steaks, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, starchy vegetables, fast foods, candy, sweet drinks and not enough water. Finally, at my three months follow up visit my blood glucose level crossed over to full blown diabetes. I was given a prescription medication to take to lower my blood sugar, which was exactly what I wanted to avoid. It was at this point that I surrendered my will and asked God to strengthen me to turn away from unhealthy food temptations. I began to live out the scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13, NKJV). I renewed my commitment to eat right.

At my follow up visit, three months later, my blood sugar levels reversed to normal without taking the medication! This confirmed and proved what I had already known: doing the good I should do could prevent a chronic illness like diabetes. Because I relied on the power of the Holy Spirit, I was able to benefit from the fruit of self -control. Every choice we make is either a seed we are sowing to produce life or death. (Deut 30:19). Apart from God, we can do nothing. (John 15:5). When we stay connected to God we can draw on His strength to continuously choose life. 

In spite of our earnestness, we will not be perfect in exercising self- control. We must be gentle with ourselves, allow the grace of God to sustain us when you get off track and then press ahead! When we are weak, He is strong. His grace is sufficient! (2 Cor 12:9-11).

TRY
Write several of these Scriptures on an index card you can travel with and make reference to in the heat of  battle with temptation. Try meditating on them in advance of the battle, incorporating them into your daily devotions to fortify you as a part of your daily routine.

TRY
Tips to help you exercise self- control:

1. Drink water to help the cravings go away and reduce your appetite.
2. Eat more protein to satisfy hunger, make you feel full, reduce cravings and decrease the urge to snack in the evening hours. The benefits multiply if you kickstart the day with a protein rich breakfast. 
3. Flee from temptation by putting distance between yourself and the food. Avoid having temptations in the house.
4. Plan meals ahead of time so you already have a healthy alternative prepared when the cravings hit. 
5. Eat before you go to the supermarket. This helps you to avoid picking up unhealthy foods and eating while shopping.
6. Practice mindful eating, which involves recognizing when you're hungry or if you’re craving a certain food. It teaches you to be aware of your eating habits, so you can eat thoughtfully and not impulsively.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-ways-to-stop-food-cravings


TRY WITH YOUR GIRLS
Make a date with your girls to go through the fridge and pantry. As you review what is there, check each item through these two questions:

1. Is this good for us?
2. In what ways is it good for us?

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If you aren’t sure, flag the item with a post-it and then do some research on the item. The items that do not pass the test of the two questions above, should then be removed from the home. If the items are particularly enjoyed by your home, gather the family to think of healthy alternatives that can be purchased to replace those items.

The whole family must be committed to health in order for any member of the family to be well. So do this together! After you’ve done the sorting/replacing exercise, write your personal WHYs for pursuing health and mount them where you can be reminded of why your choices, no matter how hard, will result in a harvest of good health.