[Don't] be carried [away] with [diverse, a.k.a. various,] & strange doctrines, [a.k.a. teachings.] For it's a good thing that the heart [is] established with grace, not with meats, [a.k.a. foods,] which haven't [benefited those who] have been [preoccupied with them.] Hebrews 13:9 KJV Bible [paraphrased]
Whenever I read this passage, it's like looking in a mirror and seeing my reflection. It's not always easy recognizing that we've become preoccupied by foods. I used to plan early in the day, if not the day before, what I was going to eat, eagerly looking forward to that time. This is not the pre-planning that's suggested to balance out your meals, making sure you have the correct amount of healthy non-fattening foods to eat.
I was soooo obsessed over foods, until I finally gave up one day and told the Lord God, that if He ever wanted me to be thin, He'd have to do it, because I couldn't. I had tried and tried so many different diets, and even retried many of them, but nothing worked. I sometimes lost a few pounds, only to gain back even more than I started with.
On that day that I turned over my control over my food, body, eating, and stress, without even realizing I was doing it, everything changed. Actually, it didn't give up and turn everything over to the Lord, because I expected a change. I just wanted to stop the struggle with trying to loose weight and the self-loathing that came from not being able to do so! Well, that very same day, the Lord took away the urge to eat large portions of foods, especially those that weren't healthy for me. It was amazing! The Lord God has blessed me with an 80+ pound weight loss, and He has allowed it to stay off for over 40 years. This doesn't mean that I don't ever slip back into old patterns, but when I go back to turning all my food, body, eating, and stress over to the Lord's very capable hands every time I eat a meal, or I'm tempted to eat something I shouldn't, He's in control, every time I relinquish my control to not do what isn't beneficial for me!
