The Diet Loop We Can’t Escape

Many Christians recognize the need to flee sexual immorality, fight laziness, and silence gossip. But another subtle and socially accepted sin often goes unnoticed, slipping quietly into our homes and sitting down at the table: gluttony.

Gluttony isn’t just about overeating or obesity. It affects the young and old, fit and overweight, men and women alike. At its heart, gluttony is a spiritual problem that distorts our relationship with food and more importantly, with God.

When Food Fills the Void

For many, the day begins with fresh resolve “Today, I’ll eat better.” But by lunch, resolve crumbles. One more bite turns into another helping, followed by regret. The cycle begins again: indulge, feel shame, restrict, repeat. Over time, food becomes a source of comfort, control, or distraction rather than a gift from God to be received with thanksgiving.

We may think we enjoy food too much, but the opposite is often true. We don’t enjoy food enough not as God intended.

Legalism on a Plate

Many of us carry a mental list of “clean” and “unclean” foods free from sugar, carbs, gluten, or fat. We try to control our lives by controlling what goes into our mouths. But this kind of food legalism only deepens shame and insecurity.

God’s word tells us, “Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:4). Jesus declared all foods clean (Mark 7:19), freeing us from shame-driven restriction. But to live in that freedom, we must reshape how we view God. He’s not stingy or harsh he’s a generous Father who gives good gifts, including the gift of food.

Not Too Much, But Too Little

Gluttony, at its root, is not about enjoying food too much but enjoying it too little. It’s tastelessness. It’s rushing through a meal without truly savoring God’s goodness. It’s stuffing ourselves, not out of joy, but out of lack trying to fill a spiritual hunger with physical food.

When we binge, the problem isn’t that the food is too good. The problem is that we aren’t seeing it as a gift from the Giver. We aren’t enjoying it in God’s presence. And so, we keep eating, hoping the next bite will satisfy.

The Better Way to Eat

Surprisingly, the antidote to overeating is not more dieting, but mindful feasting.

• Put food on a plate.

• Sit down without distractions.

• Pray before eating.

• Taste every bite.

• Praise the Giver.

We’re not meant to obsess over what we eat, but to focus on how we eat with gratitude, reverence, and joy. God wants us to eat slowly, mindfully, and worshipfully, enjoying his kindness with every bite.

The God Who Feeds Us

Jesus calls himself “the bread of life” (John 6:35) and “living water” (John 4:10). He is the only one who satisfies the deep hunger of our hearts. Until we see him as our true feast, we’ll keep turning to food to fill a void it was never meant to fill.

So, whether your struggle is overindulgence, restrictive dieting, or food obsession, the path to freedom is not in stricter rules or deeper shame. It’s in receiving your next meal as a wave of grace from the hand of God. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof” (1 Corinthians 10:26).

Come and eat. Slowly. Mindfully. Worshipfully. And let God, not food, be the One who satisfies your soul.

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