Letting God Carry What Food Can’t

40 Days Toward Sugar Freedom · Week 5

I started this week with my Bible before I even got out of bed.

God’s Word before the world’s noise.

I love that little phrase, but I like the rhythm even more. Before I checked my phone, started thinking about work, or let the rest of the day begin asking things of me, I spent some time with God and a convenient little Bible app on my phone.

Not because Bible study guarantees a better day or because I wanted another box to check. I just wanted Him to have my attention first.

Since this was my last full week of these 40 days, I had already decided I wanted to focus more intentionally on the faith part of this journey. I chose seven short passages and focused on one a day.

Some were verses I already knew well. First Corinthians 10:13 has stayed with me during these weeks because of its reminder that God is faithful when we’re tempted and provides a way through.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Hebrews 4:15–16 reminded me that Jesus understands weakness and that we can come to God for mercy and help when we need it.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV)

Then there was 2 Corinthians 12:9 and its lesson that God’s strength doesn’t depend on mine.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

That one feels especially fitting right now. I don’t want the story of these 40 days to become about how disciplined I was because I truly couldn’t have done it without Him.

A milkshake I barely thought about

One day my husband and I intentionally went to Steak ’n Shake. I hadn’t eaten one of their burgers since somewhere around high school, so this was something I genuinely wanted to do.

I ordered a burger and fries. Not exactly the meal you would expect in a story about learning to eat better. But I actually allowed myself to enjoy it.

What surprised me was the milkshake. Or really, the lack of one.

There was a time when a milkshake would have felt like an automatic part of that meal. This time I honestly didn’t think about ordering one.

That was exciting to me because I wasn’t sitting there trying to prove how disciplined I could be. I wasn’t eating a salad while wishing I had ordered the burger. I ate the burger and fries I wanted, enjoyed them without guilt, and the sugar just didn’t seem to have the same pull.

That meal ended up being all I needed that day. I wasn’t trying to compensate for it later by skipping dinner. I was just satisfied.

For me, that felt a lot closer to freedom than eating a perfect meal ever could.

I’m noticing more with less sugar noise

My eating wasn’t close to perfect this week, and I don’t want it to be. This is all about finding what’s sustainable.

I had ordinary meals. Chicken salad with a mini croissant. Mexican food. The burger and fries.

I also got another one of those sugar-free lattes I’ve mentioned before and regretted it again afterward. I’ve noticed enough unpleasant experiences after drinking them that I’m starting to accept that I probably need to let that particular latte go.

The next day, I made one at home using a protein powder I felt good about instead of sugar or sugar-free syrups. I really liked it.

The point isn’t that I found the “right” latte. It’s that with much less sugar noise, I seem to be able to hear myself a little better.

I notice when I’ve waited too long to eat. I notice what actually satisfies me. I’m paying more attention when something repeatedly leaves me feeling lousy.

But the biggest thing I noticed this week had almost nothing to do with what I ate.

The prayers weren’t about food

On the mornings I began with Bible study, I found myself also talking with God more throughout the day.

I prayed about my business and family. I prayed about purpose and questions I’ve been carrying.

I brought Him things I was worried about and some of the ordinary stresses of life. None of those prayers were really about food.

Somewhere along the way, though, I realized that talking with God about those things was changing something in my relationship with food too.

For years, food has been expected to do a lot of emotional work for me. Make a stressful day feel better. Give me something pleasant to look forward to. Distract me for a while. Take the edge off a worry I don’t know how to fix.

Food can give me pleasure, and I still want it to. That isn’t the problem. It just can’t carry the things I’ve sometimes handed to it.

This week, when I felt pressure about my business or wondered what I’m supposed to be doing with my life, I talked to God about it. When I was worried, I talked to Him about that too.

I didn’t do it perfectly. I just did it more often. And I believe that is the biggest part of why food seemed to be carrying less weight for me.

When I take more of the actual stress to God, food doesn’t have to carry as much of it.

Maybe this is what help looks like

Earlier in these 40 days, I thought about the “way out” God promises in 1 Corinthians 10:13. I’m beginning to think His help often looks much more ordinary than I expect.

It may be enough clarity to notice what’s happening before I react. A pause. Remembering something I read that morning. Realizing I’m exhausted and need to go to bed. Recognizing that I’m actually hungry and need a real meal.

Sometimes it may be asking God for help while the craving is still there.

Hebrews 4 has meant a lot to me this week because the invitation isn’t to become strong enough before we come to Him. Jesus understands weakness. We’re invited to come for help in the middle of it.

That feels very different from trying to prove I have enough willpower.

God isn’t helping me become perfect at food. I think He’s teaching me I don’t have to carry every worry alone, and I don’t have to hand those worries to food either.

What are we asking food to carry?

Maybe food has been carrying more for you than hunger too.

Maybe you reach for something when you’re worried about one of your kids, when marriage feels hard, when work is uncertain, or when you’ve had one of those days where you need something good at the end of it.

That doesn’t mean every desire to eat has some deep emotional explanation.

Sometimes we’re hungry. Sometimes dessert sounds good. Sometimes we need rest, support from another person, a boundary, practical help, or care that prayer alone isn’t meant to replace.

Still, I think it’s worth noticing when food becomes the first place we take a burden it cannot actually solve.

Here’s something small and easy to try if you’re up for it. Choose one Scripture to come back to (if you need a little help getting started, here are the other verses I used this week besides the three shared above: Psalm 46:1, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 34:8).

And when you notice yourself reaching for food because life feels heavy, tell God what is actually happening before you decide what to do. No polished prayer required.

God, I’m worried about this.

I feel lonely today.

I’m overwhelmed.

I want something sweet because I really want some relief.

Then ask Him what you really need.

The answer may still be food. You may realize you haven’t eaten enough. It could be rest, a conversation, a walk outside, a practical next step, or support you need to ask for. The important part for me right now is learning that God can be part of that moment before food automatically gets handed the whole job.

Five weeks in, I’m not turning to God perfectly. I’m turning to Him more. That’s actually the most meaningful change of these 40 days.

Prayer for the Week

Father, help us bring You the things we keep trying to carry by ourselves or asking food to carry for us. When we are worried, tired, overwhelmed, or tempted, remind us that we can come to You exactly as we are. Help us recognize the ways You are already providing what we need, and teach us to depend more on Your strength than our own. Amen.

Want to follow the whole journey? I’m keeping every weekly update together in 40 Days Toward Sugar Freedom.