Christ’s example

For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. I Peter 2:21

For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps. I Peter 2:21

Verse Reflections: This journey is hard. Life is hard. I Peter 2:21 reminds us that Christ also suffered and in His suffering, we have an unwavering example to follow. We cannot expect a miracle that cures us from all of our temptations and cravings. We have to expect suffering. We have to know that every day satan will use our weaknesses, our cravings for the wrong kinds of foods to separate us from God. We know that when we choose unhealthy foods and unhealthy amounts of foods that we are destroying our bodies that God gave us. We are causing inflammation in our joints when we eat sugar. We are putting 40 pounds of pressure on our knees for every 10 pounds we are overweight. We are stressing out our pancreas, creating a potential for diabetes when we eat carbugers (carbs and sugar). And then most of us will cry out to God to heal us. What are we thinking?

Christ has given us the example of rising above our suffering. Yes, we suffer from financial setbacks. Yes, we have loved ones that suffer illnesses, accidents and death. Yes, we suffer from unhappy situations. Yes, we lose friends, our reputation, our jobs. But Christ also suffered over and over and over. And yet, He resisted satan’s taunts in the desert offering Him solutions for all our perceived issues … money, power, people that worshiped Him, food. And yet, Jesus said no! He showed us the power of the scriptures by quoting back the scripture to the tempter. We must realize that we will suffer but we can still say that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that is spoken by God”. We can choose to say no to the temptations we face every day and instead embrace the power of God even in the middle of our suffering. We need to follow in the footsteps of Christ, the example that He left us.

We so often like to excuse today’s choices because of our “suffering” our hard day, an issue we are facing, or anxieties … No more excuses! Today we are going to follow Christ in every way, choosing the foods He created that will change our life one meal, one day, one choice at a time. Today, we are going to walk in the footsteps of Christ and choose God foods.

Prayer: Father, I know that suffering is a part of life but I so often use my suffering to excuse my unhealthy choices. I “need” a cookie, a glass of wine, or some chips … I ask for You to light up the path of Christ so that I can follow the light even when my life is surrounded by darkness. I know that with Your power, with the example that Christ left us, we can make healthy choices every day. I thank You that I do not have to live in the world of extremes, I can choose healthy foods, God foods and still allow myself a treat. I know that one indulgence is not a ”sin” but I do need to avoid four or five in one day. Thank You Father for speaking to me through this verse and through the New Testament and Jesus’ example. Today, let me follow Christ to choose Your foods, God foods to treasure my body and the gift of my life here on earth.