Made to Crave - Chapter 19: Living as an Overcomer

~ I'm sharing the high points that I found in each chapter and then I answer the questions at the end of each chapter with my honest feelings. I'm reading the book on my Kindle, so I don't have page numbers for any of the thoughts I have taken from the book. This has been a journey that has spanned at least a decade for me. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm farther along than I used to be. Walk with me and feel free to share your thoughts. Be kind. Be blessed.

• My victory isn’t tied as much to the way I’ve changed physically as it is tied to the way I’ve overcome mentally and spiritually.
• This freedom and healthy outlook are not tied to what size a person is.
• And He’s proven true to His promises to save us: “Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress” (Psalm 107:17-19).
• The next verse of this same chapter gives the answer: “He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.” (Psalm 107:20)
• Having a weight issue is not God’s curse on us. It is an external manifestation of an internal struggle. Just like debt for the over-spender or an overstuffed house for a hoarder, issues with weight are signs that we need to get unstuck from unhealthy habits.
• “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7)
• Dare to set your toes firmly on the pathway of victory you are meant to be on. Whether we’re on the path towards victory or defeat is determined by the very next choice we make. Not the choices from yesterday. Not the choices five minutes ago. The next choice. Our very next choice. May it be that of an over-comer. An over-comer made to crave God alone.

Personal Reflections

1. Standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, Lysa experienced a victory she attributes more to mental and spiritual changes than to physical changes. What factors have made the biggest difference in the victories you’ve experienced with food? Is it food planning? Spiritual disciplines like prayer and dining on the truth of God’s Word? Changing your go-to scripts? What things are key to your ongoing success? One of the things I have done is change what I have in the house. I know what makes me binge, so I try not to have them around very often. I also pray more when I am weak. I have a friend who I text when I am struggling and need somebody to help me see that I’m doing what I can.
2. God’s promise in Psalm 107:17-20 is that He hears our distress and He heals us with His Word. In what ways would you say God has heard your distress about your struggles with food? I think He has heard me by providing me with more people in my life who want to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s easier to succeed when you surround yourself with like-minded people. What role has Scripture played in helping you to experienced God’s healing? There are so many good passages that I turn my focus to. The one that says “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial… and I will not be mastered by none.” helps me to remember that its ok to have a treat now and then, but I need to be in control of the treat and not let it control me.
3. “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). This verse indicates that it’s not only possible to overcome our struggles but that there is a reward for those who do – and it involves eating! How might this promise encourage you as you continue on your healthy eating adventure? It reminds me where my strength comes from. He is the one who has overcome and He has provided me everything I need on earth and will give me the right to eat from the tree of Life in heaven someday. It helps me keep my focus on the right things.