The foods I eat determine my physical health. I need food to survive, I need food to re-energise, I occasionally (maybe more than occasionally) look to food to raise my spirits (yes maybe it's sad but take me out for food and I'm sussed mate).
What exactly am I getting at?
On the whole: what are we feeding our 'spirits'? And how regularly are we feeding them?
Are we feeding our spirits junk? i.e. are we letting spiritual junk food feed our souls?
Are we feeding our spirits on a frequent basis?
Hold your horses - don't lose me yet! I will explain myself:
1. Are we feeding our spirits junk?
So what does it mean when we let spiritual junk food/unhealthy crappy stuff feed our soul?
I see spiritual junk food primarily as lies. And when we let lies feed our soul we live outside of truth. When spiritual junk food feeds us on a consistent basis we become spiritually malnourished; just as when we feed on literal junk food we put on the pounds (no disrespect) and our body becomes malnourished.
So what can we do?
For the spirit and soul I believe we need to be feeding on a diet of the "Word of God"; that is truth. We need to plant it in our hearts.
Whatever thoughts our heart feeds on our spirit becomes like. "You are what you eat"; i.e. you are what you (your thoughts) feed on. Our thoughts need to be planted in truth; we are chosen, loved, forgiven, special, family, unique, empowered etc, so that we are living lives built on truth. "...Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8 NLT)
When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies. (Jeremiah 15:16 NLT)
2. Are we feeding our spirits on a daily basis?
Don't know if its just me, but I quite enjoy/need my food on a frequent basis?! Without food I can feel weak, incapable, flat, tired, grumpy etc.
But how often are we choosing to soak in God's word?
How often are we feeding our spirits?
Are we feeling spiritually weak, incapable, flat, tired, grumpy?
Just as we feed our bodies on a frequent basis; we should be feeding our spirits on a frequent basis.
The Word of God should be sustenance to our very being; to our survival.
And do you know what? Just as eating that bag of malteasers, devouring a packet of walkers salt and vinegar crisps or, of course, defeating the almighty bacon sandwich raises my spirits; as does feeding on the Word of God raise my spirits; "I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" (John 15:11 NLT)
So I challenge you to live in the light of truth; feed frequently on God's truth and plant your hearts in 'what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable'.
If 'you are what you eat', eat the word of truth frequently.
"‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4 NLT)
I'll keep you posted.
