Question of the Day

When you have an addiction, it changes your entire life. It consumes your thoughts and time; it influences your actions and goals. It can monopolize you from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep. If you've ever had an addiction, you know what I mean.

I am sad to say that I'm addicted to food and depriving myself of it. I am addicted to surface-level “beauty” and physical appearance. I am addicted to the feeling I get when I think I am skinny, somehow believing it makes me more important, valuable, and beautiful.

These addictions never fail to greet me each morning. When I wake up, I am bombarded by thoughts of food, exercise, and societal standards of appearance. Every morning I wake up and ask myself, “What can I do today to lose weight?”

It doesn't take long after my alarm for me to begin strategizing about my schedule for the day. I plan what I will eat and when I will work it off.

Do I have time to do a workout today?

Is the amount of exercise I have time for sufficient for what I plan to eat?

Should I wear baggy clothes today to hide myself?

Will I be in a situation today wherein I am forced to eat?

Can I avoid that situation?

All of this happens before I even get out of bed, and each morning I spend the time and energy to plan my day and feed my addiction.

Here’s my question: What would my life be like if I woke up every morning and asked myself, “What can I do to become closer to God today?”

If I woke up every morning and asked myself how I could strengthen my faith that day, would I lie in bed and strategize the way I do about my addiction? Would I plan it all out? Would I scheme for the good of my God and persistently squeeze it into my schedule at all costs?

What would my life look like if I did?

I imagine all of the hours spent each day mentally and physically giving in to my addiction; time spent researching food or forcing exercise upon myself. Moments spent verbally assaulting my body in front of the mirror or sobbing in the corner because I've bought in to all the lies.  

If I used that time each day for Jesus- to grow in my faith, further God’s kingdom, and love others well- I firmly believe my life would be drastically different. A deep faith could replace a deep addiction. Love based on one condition could transform to a love based on no condition. A plan to change my body could become a plan to change the world.

I may be alone in the cycle of daily interrogation and manipulation where my addiction is concerned, but I don’t think that I am. I think there are many people who imprison themselves behind such questions every day; people who wake up and almost immediately find themselves thrown into battle with their addictions and vices.

The great thing about this is that I am the one asking the questions and making the plans- that means that I can change them. Rather than allowing my addiction to starve me, I can decide to starve my addiction. I can ignore its inquiries and disregard its schemes. I can wake up tomorrow and ask myself, “What can I do today to strengthen my faith?” and I can watch my addiction die as I refuse to feed into it any more.

This afternoon I sat contemplating my meals and exercise regimen for the rest of the day, and I couldn't escape the feeling of God’s question on my heart.

“What do you think your life would be like if you took all this time you were spending on your disorder and spent it with Me?”

Though specifics are yet to be determined, I've got some ideas of how that question could be answered. Best of all, in that I've found another question; one that I will begin asking myself each morning.

“What can I do today to become more like Jesus?”

I’m very certain such a question every day will beautifully change my life. Call me crazy, but living each day for Jesus sounds so much better than living each day for an addiction. 

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. -Colossians 3:1-3