Will Power? What’s that?

I was thinking about how I get cravings, we all do! Cravings for chocolate, popcorn, pizza, fried chicken, in other words, anything that is sweet, salty, fatty, or generally un-healthy for you! So I looked up why we crave certain foods. “Psychology Today” says that we really don’t crave it but it is a learned reaction or an addiction or addictive behavior, too much needless information!

It seems that if I decide I am not going to eat a certain food, that is the very thing I want, so what is the lesson here? One thing would be to never think about things you know you shouldn’t have, then you will never want it, getting too deep in here run get your boots!

With summer upon us there are commercials for weight loss, and fashion shows showing the most flattering swim suits and as of this week the weight loss shows have started back all to get us ready to show our amazing physique at the beach! We get feelings of guilt as we enjoy our picnic, graduation and wedding shower party goodies and that’s not good! I have read that in January there are more gym memberships sold than any other time of the year but I’m thinking that right now would run it a close second! What does that say about us? I think it shows that we all have good intentions, whether or not we carry through with them!

The phrase, “guilty pleasure”, speaks of things that we do, or want to do that someone else would think was silly, or just plain wrong. Maybe eating Peanut butter out of the jar won’t send you to hell, but sometimes our guilty pleasures are things that could ruin your life. Do you think that control or will power problems started with us? If you do, I have a scripture for you!

Romans 7:15-20 “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

The Apostle Paul said that, but doesn’t it sound just like you or me? I say, the “spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”, that kind of sums it all up!

What do you want to do? Diet? Start a new physical fitness program? Wake up every morning at 6 AM to have an uncluttered prayer time? Read through the Bible? Any of the above?

There is no such thing as will power, at least not in myself, so again I have to turn to the scriptures; Philippians 4:11-13 I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess— Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

There are some things that are just too difficult to do without divine help, we need Jesus our advocate, defense, and helper in time of need then you know that whatever you decide to try He is your helper!

Proverbs 18:10 The Lord is our strong tower: the righteous runs into it and is safe.

Run into the protection of His strong tower of protection to be safe and try adopting a happier attitude and see if it doesn’t make you FEEL happier!