Food thoughts once ran constantly through my mind.  I woke up and planned my meals for the day. As the day progressed, I fantasized about food I would like to eat.  These thoughts convinced me I was hungry and tempted me to eat. When on a diet, I dreamed about what I was missing and tried to think of ways I could eat cake, (or nachos, pizza and cookies).    All these thoughts on food caused me to eat.

I wasted much time planning meals when following a diet.  Many times during the day, I calculated what I had consumed and determined what else I could eat that day.  Other times I realized it was hopeless.  Since I had blown my calorie allotment for the day, I could eat everything and start over tomorrow.  My brain focused on food because I was in love with food.

Matthew 22:37 is, “Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’”  Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  When I cried out to God for help, I realized I needed to love God, and not food.  My eyes opened and I realized two things:  (1) food distracted me from God and (2) I focused so much on food that I loved food more than God. I saw the truth that I had made food an idol.  Once I surrendered to God, He began the process of transforming my mind so I was able to fall in love with Him.  This is a heart change, in that once my heart is in love with God, my mind follows.  Matthew 15:18-19 is, “But the words you speak come from the heart – that’s what defiles you.  For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.” (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  The decision to love God is one that has to be all or nothing – either I love God or I don’t.  As long as I fully love God, He can enable me to center my thoughts on Him, so my thoughts focus on God instead of food.