Flashback Friday Devotion #12

Hi, Everyone.
In advance of today's devotion, I want to say that we all know that God forgives the second we ask for it. However, for me, both God and I knew I needed to get to a place of true heart repentance to break the stronghold of overeating in my life, and I knew I hadn't gotten to that place of breakthrough yet.
Today's devotion is from my personal journal dated April 20, 2007.

Flashback Friday Devotion #12

     The Lord had me "sit" with repentance again today. He drew me to Joel 2:12-13, "'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning: and rend your heart and not your garments. Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness and relenting of evil."
     Has my heart been pierced, torn over my rebellion in the sin of overeating? The Lord just challenged me on using the word "overeating." That's a nicer word to say than "gluttony." I want to call it a "weakness" or a "lack of self-control." I don't want to call myself a "glutton"! I balk at that! I resist it, but that is what I am unless and until I repent.
     When I repent, I will experience the following blessings from Joel 2: I will be "satisfied" (v. 19), "refreshed" (v. 21-24), "restored" (v. 25), and "unashamed" (v. 27). I want that! I want it all!
     In Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5, Paul tells me to crucify the desires of the flesh. Overeating certainly doesn't accomplish that. Food is not evil. Eating is not sin. Gluttony, the habit of overeating and indulging the flesh, is sin. Anything that enslaves is sin, and overeating certainly enslaves. Oh, how I look forward to the day when I can sing, "My chains are gone! I've been set free!"

Today, if there are any "food chains" binding you, go to Him about them. Consider how God is gracious, compassionate, patient, loving, and kind, in response to your repentance. Express your thanks to Him.

Blessings,
Mary