What’s Really Going on Here (thoughts about ch. 1 of “i’ll start again on monday”

“i’ll start again on monday” is our group’s current book. Several ladies are reading this and then sharing out our thoughts on a text thread. We read chapter 1 this week and it’s called, “What’s Really Going on Here”.

I’m sitting downstairs by the fire with a cup of cinnamon tea. As I look out the window, snow is coming down and will continue to do so until nightfall. I was reminded during my quiet time this morning that each snowflake is different, just like each one of us. So, what’s really going on here?

There is a commercial that is out right now where a chair or a bed is chasing someone who is running for exercise. The whole point is to stay focused and to not give into temptation. What does that look like for you? I think that the commercial is actually for a watch of something, but I know that for me personally, it takes way more than a watch to help me to resist temptations. A watch is a great tool, but there is so much more at play.

I guess that simply telling me to put on a watch or to drink more water won’t stop me from craving what I love. Maybe it is chocolate pie. Lysa talks about still having room for chocolate pie, even when you are already stuffed. I have found myself in this same situation, time and time again. That is because we were “made to crave”.

Made to Crave

We were made to crave God. There are so many other things that we set our hearts on though. Food, sex, money, family time, and other all consuming things that surround us daily.

Psalms 84: 1-2 says, ” How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God”. Lysa wants us to consider this verse as an expression of craving!

She then goes on to talk about 1 John 2: 15-16, which says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world..For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world.”

3 Ways That Satan Tries to Lure Us Away from God

1. The cravings of sinful man
2. The lust of his eyes
3. The boasting of what he has or does

Connecting Satan’s Strategy to Eve

Genesis 3:6 says, When the woman saw (that’s visual) that the fruit of the tree was good for food (cravings of sinful man) and pleasing (looks good to me) to the eye (lust of the eyes), and also desirable for gaining wisdom (boasting of what she has or does), she took some and ate it”.

I find it fascinating that even Eve was tempted in the three ways that are talked about in 1 John 2: 15-16 that we talked about above.

Connecting Satan’s Strategy to Jesus

In Matthew 4: 1-11 it says, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Cravings: Satan knew Jesus was hungry) Jesus answered, “It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”” (fighting back with scripture)

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God, ” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will life you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”” (Boasting: the enemy wanted Jesus to prove his significance)

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”” (battling with scripture)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “all this I will give you, he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Lust of the eyes: The devil promises Jesus the entire kingdom if He will bow down to him)

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”” (again, using scripture)

The Difference Between Eve and Jesus

Lysa points out that Eve was saturated with the object of her desire, but that Jesus was saturated with God’s truth. Wow! So much power there.

Lysa writes, ” Eve craved what she focuses on. WE consume what we think about. And what we think about can consume us if we’re not careful.”

This was a powerful take-a-way for me! We crave what we eat and we just want more and more of it.

How Can I Use Scripture With Food Cravings?

Lysa talks about how she used this scripture as her foundation for battling craving attacks. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “Everything is permissible” – but not everything is beneficial”.

Sometimes food does NOTHING for you. Certain foods will not benefit you in any way. This is empowering and a new mindset that may be difficult to take on, or, it might be the change that you need. Do you want change in your life?