Have you ever wondered what life would be like without any rules, regulations, or laws?

Give it some thought. What would it be like to buckle your family into a vehicle, pull out of your driveway and get on an interstate where there were no speed limits, no stop signs or red lights, and no driving etiquette. If driving in a world with no guidelines doesn’t make you anxious enough, think about living in a world without public law to protect your rights, property, or human life.

The bottom line is that rules and boundaries can be a very healthy and helpful thing.

The truth is most humans are good at following general guidelines that uphold peace for the majority, but no one has ever held all law to perfection. Even you are guilty of speeding (even if you didn’t get caught), possibly failing to report every penny of income, or taking a pen from work without permission. Trivial, but still defiant.

God went to great lengths to prove to us human beings that we are imperfect by design. In the Old Testament, the law was designed to be so rigid and hard to keep perfect that we needed grace and a savior.

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. ”

— Deuteronomy 5:32-33 (NIV)

I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the Israelites to see the ten commandments for the first time. Do you feel anxiety thinking about keeping God’s standards?

God wanted His people to enjoy His blessings, so He provided a standard for how they should live. He was direct in communicating His will; He gave them the law which was a blueprint for how He wanted them to live.

“Be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you
”

— (v.32.)

Born again Christians are aware of the Lord’s instructions. You read your bible, do devotionals, engage in the pastor’s teachings and life groups. Even with all your knowledge and confessed faith, you find yourself slipping, unable to do it all (at least not all in the same day).

Even with the best intentions, you’re unable to live up to God’s holy standard. 

“
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”
”

— Galatians 3:10-12 (NIV)

I’m just going to go out on a limb and assume you aren’t perfect. Something tells me that at some point in your life you have had to receive grace from a parent, spouse, teacher, and God All Mighty. Remember, how it felt when you were forgiven (however little the mess up)?

Humans tend to be repeat offenders of even the smallest transgressions. And you aren’t unique in feeling like a constant letdown. The Apostle Paul had the same struggle that you and I do. He got it to the point he wrote the Bibles most profoundly confusing few lines. Ha-Ha.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
”

— Romans 7:15-20 (NIV)

News Flash: God isn’t shocked when you are unable to walk the straight and narrow. The law was created to provide a moral standard. But, as people who live after Jesus came and died for us, we live by faith in Jesus Christ, the only One that was capable of living in perfect obedience.

“So, the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
”

— Galatians 3: 24-25 (NIV)

What role does the law now play in the life a Christ-follower?

You might think that if it is impossible to live up to God’s perfect standard, why try? Well, if everyone didn’t “try” to follow the rules of the road, there would be a lot more casualties due to carefree driving. Followers of Christ should strive to uphold the Old Testament commandments, allowing it to convict us, not condemn us. You and I obey out of a heart for Christ and a desire to please Him.

Healthy Twist. If by design, you are unable to uphold God’s law perfectly, why do you expect to be able to adhere to strict food rules?

The same imperfect flesh that slips on the Ten Commandments will undoubtedly fail you with silly eating rules. Let’s learn to approach eating with the same faith and grace that comes with living your best Christ-like life. Use time-tested principles to guide your food choices, not dictate them. Offer yourself grace, instead of condemnation and have faith that perfection isn’t required to be in good health.

For yourself, I want you to ponder fad diets or trends that you have made nutrition “law” for you. And then allow God to release of those strongholds you created for yourself. Jesus didn’t die for you to live trapped in a fad diet. There is freedom in Christ, that includes food, too.

The question isn’t a debate over what you choose to exclude or include on your plate. You have the right to pick an eating style that lines up with your personal preferences. Instead, I am asking how does your diet decisions affect you when you are away from the table.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a chapter in the Bible that spells out a healthy life to-the-tee. Fortunately, there is a lot of practical advice that you can measure your life up against and see if it is producing the type of fruit that is positive and ultimately healthy (for you).

Galatians 5 can be a game changer if you take time to read it thoroughly with your relationship with food in mind. Warning: being convicted is a good thing; feeling self-shame or condemnation is not a God thing. Because chances are your toes are about to take a trampling, or maybe just mine did.

Please, take a deep dive into the entire 5th chapter of Galatians, line by line. In a nutshell, Paul shares that there is freedom in Christ. When you choose to walk and live in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh that continually tempt you. While being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from a moral code, it provides you with a Helper that guides you day-to-day in making honorable choices.

You can rest easy that you’re on track, by assessing the fruit your actions and mindsets produce in your life.

Chances are you can recite the fruit of the Spirit without hesitation:

Love.

Joy.

Peace.

Patience.

Kindness.

Goodness.

Faithfulness.

Gentleness.

Self-control.

Recently, I experienced an “AH-HA” moment reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan. He brought to light that Galatians 5:22 says, “the FRUIT of the Spirit” not “the FRUITS of the Spirit.”

HUGE distinction.

You’re either walking in the FRUIT meaning you are experiencing them ALL, or you’re being deceived by only living out a few at a time.

OUCH.

While this revelation has convicted me in more than one area, I want us to bring the idea back to our relationship with food.

Just because you love the way a food or meal taste, and at that moment, it brings you joy, if you leave the table feeling uneasy about the decision, and you’re not kind to yourself for the choice, or lack self-control with the portion, you aren’t “eating in the Spirit” so to speak.

The other side to the argument, is just because you have all the self-control in the world, and are faithful to following your food rules, but don’t find joy in eating, love the body you’re in, or aren’t kind to yourself if you get off track, you, too aren’t “eating in the Spirit.”

Bottom line, God desires a better way for you to approach making dietary decisions. God put you on this planet for a specific purpose, to help further His kingdom and love one another. God did not put you on this planet to get lost on a rollercoaster of finding the right method to weigh less. Of course, God desires you to live in a manner that you're taking care of your body and doing your best to prevent an early demise from gratifying the desires of the flesh, but don't miss the forest for the trees.

Instead of seeking the right combination of food or nutrients that provide an outward version of yourself you deem worthy by the world’s standards, I’d like to challenge you (and myself) to instead seek a relationship with food that evokes the fruit of the Spirit. The ending of Galatians 5:22 states against such things, there is no law. Meaning, when you are living (that includes eating) by the Spirit there is no “bad” food choice or reason to be enslaved to rigorous food rules.

“Enjoy good health, good food, and take time for the good things. ”

— RT

Do you enjoy good health? 

Before you jump to the conclusion of “yes,” I’d like to challenge your thinking. Just because you're “in good health” doesn’t mean you “enjoy” it. And just because you’re trying to “improve your health” doesn’t disqualify you from getting to enjoy the health you have now. 

Let me explain. 

Americans are OBSESSED with “healthy living.” The amount of money and manpower that is spent demonizing entire food groups (and farmers), glamorizing pills, powders, and patches, and persuading the public they are less than because they weigh more than, is heartbreaking. 

After a decade in the field of nutrition and dietetics, I fully understand that there is not a single road to optimal health and I am convinced that “good health” isn’t somewhere you arrive but it is a state of being that you live out actively indefinitely. 

Let’s break down “enjoy good health.” 

Enjoy is a verb that is defined as taking delight or pleasure in. 

Good is an adjective that is defined as to be desired or approved of. [Good should not be confused with an entirely different word: perfect.]

Health is a noun that is defined as the state of being free from illness or injury. [Health should not be confused with other nouns like abs, biceps, or buns.]

When you put it all back together, you see that to enjoy good health means that you take delight or pleasure in the desired lifestyle that keeps you in a state of being that is free from illness or injury. 

You may currently be living free from illness or injury, but I have met people managing chronic diseases, living with cancer, medically necessary food restrictions, or physical limitations that enjoy the health they do have way more than most of those with abs, biceps, and buns of steel. 

Move past the mirror and answer the question, “do you enjoy good health,” by questioning your mood on the inside. 

I know what is like to “look healthy” but not enjoy a single second of the blessing that is decent health. Stressing and striving to reach the next level of perfection whether with food, fitness or finally fitting into something, isn’t enjoying, it’s suffering. 

God, the creator of the universe and the One who breathed life into your thick thighs, ab-less belly, and imperfectly perfect figure, never intended for you to spend your life suffering over what you see (or don’t see) in the mirror. 

There is not one verse in the Bible that says you are meant to have abs, but there is also not one verse in the Bible that says you shouldn’t strive to achieve them if it brings you joy. Your intention and motivation mean more to God than your waist size or BMI. 

You can actively make lifestyle changes that (with enough time and consistency) may lead to a specific outward appearance, but if you’re not enjoying the journey, you’re missing the mark. 

Do not confuse Bible verses about long-suffering for the benefit of God’s Kingdom with your desires to achieve a worldly physical standard of beauty as justified suffering. You’re suffering in vain. 

Living with food guilt, consistent body comparisons, or anxiety around what to eat, or when to eat is a clear sign you need to pause and dive deeper to see if your desire for better health hasn’t crossed over to an idol you’re secretly and (possibly unknowingly) worshiping. 

And that dive takes more words than this post, or your mind can handle. All I am asking is that you ponder the question with honesty and you don’t settle for an outward goal that sacrifices your inward health. 

It is my experience that the body you despise today could very well be the body you pray to have back tomorrow. If life doesn’t take your health away quickly through an illness or accident, time will certainly slowly chip away at your overall health. Let’s spend more time enjoying and appreciating the health and physical body you have at this moment (even if you are making positive changes to impact your overall health).

My mission is to live out and inspire my daughter as well as you to enjoy good health. A verse that I love is 3 John 1:2 (NIV) and I sign every Mind Over Fork copy with it. 

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2 (NIV). 

The third book of John was written to Gaius, a member of the church, as an encouraging letter from one friend to another. As one friend - encouraging another my heart's desire is for you to ENJOY good health brought about by honoring God in your choices and stewarding the body He has given you for so much more than “hitting a goal weight” or suffering to fit into the world’s standard of beauty.

Enjoy good heath. 
~ RT