Scoffers

I know there are scoffers. People take you seriously if you say you’re an alcoholic or a drug addict, or you’re addicted to porn, or prescription drugs. But, unless you weigh six-hundred pounds and have your own TV show, sharing that you’re addicted to food can get a number of reactions. . . . Anything from a blank stare, to a smirk, or a blatant declaration of unbelief. Some may say “we love you just the way you are.” Or “it’s not a big deal.” Or “everybody eats too much at times.”

So . . . I get it. A lot of folks have never been tempted to eat the entire bag of cookies, or demolish half of a three-layer cake, or write a hot check so you can buy junk food. And a lot of folks can control their food consumption ninety-eight percent of the time, and stop eating when they’re full. Food addiction isn’t on their radar. Oh, to be so blessed. But for those of us who have experienced the overpowering compulsion to stuff our mouths, and keep stuffing them until we are sick, it’s all too real.

What it comes down to is this: God knows where you are, and so do other food addicts. It’s frustrating and sometimes challenging when others scoff at something that is ultimately killing you, but it is what it is. Set that aside and begin to take the steps toward healing and recovery that can turn your crazy mess into a new way of living. And somewhere along the way . . . learn to trust yourself.

If you know in your heart that you are using mountains of food to deal with the challenges and problems of life, then don’t listen to the scoffers. Hang on to your personal honesty and run with it. Admit where you are, but tell the people who will identify with you and understand. Find the support that I know is out there, get to work, and know that there are those who will walk shoulder-to-shoulder with you as you face the battlefield. God is most certainly included. He’s right out front clearing the path of recovery for you. If you choose that path, you’ll find the magnificent satisfaction that comes from having peace with Him, with yourself, with others . . . and with life itself.

Is It Time To Ask For Help?