The Believer's Diet

Diet - nutrition (or lack thereof!) is a frequent topic in most circles these days.  With a new focus on obesity in America while the rest of the world starves we are encouraged to make better decisions about what we put into our bodies.  The decisions we make have a direct impact on our health, our appearance and indeed our longevity.  The same can be said about our spiritual temple as well.  Have we given it the same consideration?  Recently I came across a scripture that has given me a new perspective about the diet of the believer.  

Historically whenever I have thought about the "diet" of the believer, the scriptures discussing milk and meat have come to mind.  I have pondered the maturity of the believer and what they either can "digest" or what they choose to digest.  However I would like to offer you a new perspective.  Isaiah 30:20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will still be with you to teach you.  You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Food and drink are met to satisfy needs of the body ~ nourishment and hydration.  Is that difficult to comprehend?  That the Lord could intend for something that is hurtful, painful to actually be good for us?  Hmmm....  sounds like a loving parent when you think about it....

For many people the concept that anything difficult or painful could come through God's hands is hard to grasp.  But we must consider the message that is consistent throughout scripture.  Again from Isaiah 14: 24, 26 The Lord of Heaven's Armies has sworn this oath:  "It will happen as I have planned.  It will be as I have decided... I have a plan for the whole earth, a hand of judgment upon all nations."  A plan for the whole earth includes all of us that inhabit the earth.  We cannot separate ourselves from it ~ or from His plan for us and for the earth as a whole.  Therefore even while He is thinking on the grand scale of the entire earth, He simultaneously is thinking about each one of us individually.  Because the Word also states: Matthew 10:29 Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  Then again Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are.

What are we to draw from these verses, especially the first one from Isaiah 30?  God wants to nurture us, grow us, guide us into the fullness of everything that He has planned for our lives.  However He also fully knows the vulnerabilities that exist in each one of us from our flesh and soul components.  Once saved, we are born again, but only our spirit is transformed and regenerated.  The other two parts of us play catch up all of our earthly lives.  God wants to offer us as much assistance as possible while still allowing our free will to be exercised.  After all it is in loving Him freely that we love Him fully.  Still there are times when He alters our diet to bring us back into "healthy living".

Think about the parallel again to our physical diet.  When we overload on something that is not good for us, we usually pay consequences.  For example, eat too much sugary or fatty foods and undoubtedly the next day (or even later that night) you will feel bloated, lethargic or a variety of other symptoms.  It will take a while of disciplined eating to bring balance back into your system.  Anything that is taken in excess will do something to throw you off balance.  The very same principles function in our spiritual lives. The difference is that God really does care about what happens to us and He will allow a different diet for a season in order to bring our spiritual health back in balance.

Now before anyone becomes offended I am not suggesting that all trials and tribulations come as a result of being out of balance.  However I do believe that God uses all trials and tribulations to make us stronger and better equipped to handle a new level of responsibility in the kingdom.  I have experienced adversity and suffering since I accepted the Lord as my savior over 20 years ago.  However I choose to regard these experiences as His equipping me.  I fully acknowledge that some of these experiences came as a result of bad choices I made.  At the same time, I can look at many circumstances in my life and KNOW that the outcomes could have been significantly worse than they were.  In retrospect I know God had His hand on me protecting me even in the midst of those times.  My teacher was present and I was "seeing" Him with my own eyes.  

Adversity for food and suffering for drink...  if we can perceive the trials and tribulations that come our way as just that, I venture to say that we will be open to learning much more from each situation than previously.  Seeking God's hand in everything means that there is some good there somewhere.  For God is inherently good, so very good.  Therefore if something that the world perceives as bad is happening to us, let us find God in the middle of it and recognize Him as Teacher.  Teach me, Lord.  What am I to learn from this situation?  Recently very dear friends experienced a tragedy and the Lord continues to encourage me to tell them, "Do not ask Why, but instead ask Me What.  Ask Me, "What do You want me to do with this situation, Lord?"  And if you will sincerely listen, I will give you an answer that will take you deeper with Me and indeed take you to the next level in your relationship with Me."  Be encouraged.  Do not let adversity and suffering take you away from Him, but rather allow those things to draw you near to Him as He satisfies your hunger and thirst.  Remember, God is good; He is so good.