HUNGER (or a Question Without an Answer)

I followed a conversation several months ago online and the topic was hunger. Someone was selling a weight-loss aid and the first question was, "Will I feel hunger?" I've been wondering since then, why are we so afraid to feel hungry? Frankly I don't have an answer. I haven't done deep studies on this topic....only my own deep thinking :-)

I do know that we were created with hunger and thirst. Over and over in the scriptures there are references to God's supplying to those that are both hungry and thirsty. The scriptures also tell us that we are to hunger and thirst after righteousness. I know it is God-given.

When I was at my heaviest weight, I rarely felt hunger - probably for 2 main reasons....1, I constantly kept feeding my body far more than it needed and 2, My metabolism was non-existant. 5 days or so into this new way of eating, hunger kicked it....and I LOVE it. I've read from Micheal Thurmond, that when you feel hunger that means your metabolism is working. So everytime I feel hunger, I know I'm on the right track and the metabolism is back!! I do, however, try to keep myself from getting extremely hungry....that would lead to some pretty poor choices. But I have discovered that I seem to follow a pattern....every 2-3 hours I begin feeling the hunger pains and I know its time to feed my body. In fact, I'm getting hungry right now!!!!!!!!

Hunger is nothing to fear....I don't know why we do. If you're watching your weight, embrace it and God's internal signal that its time to eat.
If you're thirsty, drink, If you're hungry, eat and if you're tired, sleep.

Glimpses

As I was getting ready for church this past Sunday morning, I caught a glimpse of someone in the mirror. Someone who I haven't seen in a very, very long time. I caught a glimpse of the girl I used to be. The girl who has been hidden behind pounds of overweight for far too long.

I was thinking back this past week and I've been on a continual journey towards freedom and healing. The girl behind the overweight has been there for various reasons....guilt, disappointment, self-preservation, fear, nonacceptance, loss of hope, and feelings of unworthiness to name a few.

I was thinking back to when Cliff & I were first married. Cliff was in the Navy at the time and stationed in Jacksonville, FL. I was 19 and had never really been away from home before. Now I found myself in this strange city, far from home with no life, no friends, and no car. Cliff did what he could but when you are in the service, you are married to it in a sense. We joined a fairly large church just across the street and when I look back I wish someone there had reached out to that very sad, very lonely, and very homesick girl. So I spent my days cleaning our little apartment, baking bread, and eating, while my negative thoughts reached a new level.

I do not hold anyone responsible for the over abundance of food I have put in my mouth over the years. And looking back, I have learned a valuable lesson...that I need to be intentional and in tune to the needs of others. I didn't reach out to anyone in that church....I didn't tell anyone how sad or lonely I was. I didn't know how and I didn't know to whom I could go. I can't change my past but I can learn from it and change my future. People's ignorance of me does not define who I am. God's Word does. And God's Word also goes on to tell me how I am to treat other people....especially those who are overlooked, hurting, or sad.