A Conversation With a Girl Named Amy

This is an unexpected blog, that I am writing quickly before I head to bed. I just really wanted to share a glimpse of what this process looks like on a random night.

Last week my mom and I put to paper the lies that we often believe that cause us to leave our food plans. With those lies we wrote down the truth, and then we backed it up with scripture. One of the lies that my mom wrote was, "I feel too tired to do this. I don't care anymore." We spent a lot of time on this one trying to figure out what the truth actually was; she did feel tired at the end of a long workday. We decided that the truth had to be that she actually does care. Maybe not right this minute, but deep-down she does care, and she will certainly care tomorrow.  Along with that truth she wrote down scripture that she likes:

Isaiah 45:23 "I will go before you and level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by name." 

She chose that scripture because we both got chills reading it. It's just such a beautiful declaration: God- the creater of all- will level his mountains for me- ME! 

Well this week was difficult for my mom so she was pulling out those truths often. We just had a phone conversation, and I wanted to share it with you.

Amy: I feel like I have been so confused about the truths this week. Every day there was a little something that I ate that wasn't on my food plan.
Erin: Well, what lies have you been believing this week? What has lured you to eat the wrong things?
Amy: I don't know! I guess it's the one that I feel really tired and I just don't care anymore. But I would sit and think about it- and try to remember the truth, and I thought, "I really, really, just don't care." I even tried to use the scripture and I ended up praying to God, "Don't worry about those mountains, you don't have to go out of your way for me today."
Erin: Hmm. Shoot. So obviously that defense isn't working. We need to find a different verse... and maybe a different truth. Could it be that Satan is whispering in your ear that you are tired, but actually you are just fine?
Amy: Well... I AM really tired, though. After such a long, busy, and stressful day I don't want to make myself a healthy broccoli omelet- I just want whatever is on the counter- regardless of the calories.
Erin: Yeah. What abo-
Amy: I know! Tired, Shmired! It doesn't matter how I feel. I need to obey no matter what. I'll use the verse, Luke 9:23 "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

As I have realized that my food issue isn't a physical battle, but rather a spiritual one, I have been reminded over and over again of Ephesians 6. Paul tells us to put on the armor of God, so that we can fight against the devil's strategies or schemes. What strikes me the most is that we need the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17). When we need to attack Satan and the lies he is feeding us, we need to use our sword- the sword of God's word.  If we keep getting knocked down using a particular verse, then we need to find a different sword- maybe a lighter and pointy-er one, or a chunky one with lots of little spikes.