There is currently a new set of popular trending diets being promoted and so much buzz about them. It’s true that they are addressing many symptoms that so many people are experiencing and bringing healing and relief. My family has definintely benefited from a few of these diets on our fight for health and journey towards healing.
But I am not one for extremes. I don’t like to be on an eccentric side one way or the other. I am more interested in answers, regardless of where it falls on the spectrum. Although I tend toward diet and holistic methods, there certainly is a place for modern medicine and pharmaceutical products. I simply seek to find the avenue that best solves the problem.
Weekend before this past one, I spent Sunday in bed with a horrible headache thanks to some sort of food reaction. The reaction behaved like what I normally get from some sources of corn, which I had eaten at a friends house Saturday night, but I thought the brands I ate were safe. Apparently I was wrong. Or there could have been another culprit because I enjoyed a Spanish coffee that included white sugar and reddi-whip. Maybe it was the combination of everything. I’m not sure.
But all last week I struggled with anxiety, mental torment, self doubt- the works, thanks to the reaction. I studied the Bible, prayed, spoke truth to myself, hung on to God’s promises, prayed scripture and still I felt quite icky. I could tell my back was out (also most likely repercussions from the reaction) and decided I didn’t want to deal with that all weekend so I made a chiropractic appointment.
Friday I fought that needle-like anxiety wash and an upset stomach. I prayed scripture, especially the one God brought to mind from 2 Timothy 1 that tells us we no longer have a spirit of fear but are of a sound mind. Here is the verse in context, as i discovered later has so much more to offer us:
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
~2 Timothy 1: 6-7
The version I remembered uses ‘sound mind’ instead of ‘self-discipline’, but either way, the understanding is that we will be steadfast, very capable and un-moveable rather than being tossed about by fear. Although that did ease the anxiety a bit, it still lingered. Turns out I was out of whack from the base of my neck down to both sides of my pelvis. And with a few minutes on the table and lots of cracking, everything straightened out, my body felt much better and the anxiety left.
Now my point is this. So often we struggle with things, mental or physical, and our healing can come from many angles. Now, I am not minimizing God here at all because our first line of defense should be prayer, scripture and asking God for wisdom. “Fan into flame the gift of God”, if you will. Then we will have the Spirit’s power, love and self discipline. This will help us be open to where he leads us.
This time, I needed to reach out to someone else for help. No matter how much I prayed, the anxiety couldn’t leave my body until my skeletal system was in its proper place.
More often that not, our struggles and problems are not all spiritual battle or completely a diet/nutrition problem, or whatever else we want to claim is the end-all be-all answer. I find I need to be careful not to latch onto the very extremes I don’t like to get caught in!
This time God brought some peace through his promises which I claimed in prayer and has also showed me that healing does not necessarily have to be divine. Sometimes healing comes with work on our part and trust in the wisdom he gives us. Sometimes healing comes through the talents God has given other people. I also remembered I had been slacking on my supplements and probiotics. Putting it all together just about has me back on track and feeling fine.
My journey has uncovered that sometimes healing is more like a puzzle. There are many pieces and sometimes God gives them to us one piece at a time. When we ask for help and wisdom for dealing with something it brings Him much joy to give us another piece of the puzzle, to lead us through our trial. Our drawing close to Him brings Him glory.
That makes me smile and it all the struggle worth while. If my crying out and drawing close to Him brings Him glory, then I am doing alright. For me, its diet that seems to be my thorn in my flesh. But in reality… its not all about the diet! 😉
2 thoughts on “It’s Not All About The Diet…”
Great post Lucille! I think ya know, our struggles keep us going to God. And sometimes things are just healed and done, but other times, the fact that the healing sources come from different places, keeps us going back to Him.
Yes! Last night I came across the definition of worship- “to bow down to His will, recognizing and acknowledging it” (Henry Morris) So really, the things that keep us going back to him keep us mindful of His will thus keeping us in worship of Him. 🙂