Food and Spirituality

Comfort Foods

A chunk of rich, moist, chocolate cake, topped with soft, creamy, smooth vanilla ice cream, drizzling with sweet caramel; a slab of succulent, juicy steak with a grandiose baked potato covered with yellow churned melted butter.  How many of us have found ourselves pursuing the kind of pleasure derived from food?  For those of us who are unable to identify, perhaps, we are in denial or have never realized that our bodies attempt to seek foods that are comforting during certain times.  These certain times can be translated predominantly into stressful moments in our lives, resulting in the need to comfort or reward ourselves by indulging in foods high in sugar and/or fats.  What’s wrong with this?  Though enjoying these foods is not in itself bad, it is important to note that such foods may lead to problems if we become addicted to them or are not aware that we are using them to mask negative feelings in order to derive positive ones.  Being cognizant of these emotional foods is, therefore, paramount because they not only have the potential to wreak havoc on our physical health but also on our spiritual health.  

 

Too often we have allowed our bodies to be dictated by harmful emotions, especially during times of adversity.  For example, one day I had a difficult day.  I had a grueling two hour interview which felt more like four hours that morning, a speech on the run that afternoon for my Toastmaster’s group, and a cesspool of voicemail messages to return before the workday officially ended.  At 5 O’clock my day was still not done.  That night, I had a women’s bible study which I had no desire to attend.  Despite my feelings, I met up with my friend and we drove together to the meeting.  On the way, we stopped at a Wal-Mart, and I picked up a bottle of Advil and a bag of my favorite Pepperidge Farm Chessman cookies.  Oh, they were so good.  The taste of sweet butter creamed together with sugar appeased my palate but only teased my mind.  

My friend looked at me as I devoured each one and asked, “Are you hungry?” 

I defiantly replied, “no” and added, “I’m just trying to feel good.” 

Unfortunately, the busyness and the many distractions in our world leave our spirits disconnected with our lives.  Instead of seeking a spiritual connection with the Creator, we succumb to feelings of depression, frustration, failure when circumstances do not go according to our plans.  We, then, try to smother these feelings by finding delight in what we eat. 

          Some of us, on the other hand, reward rather than comfort ourselves with treats.   The pertinent question here is not what’s wrong with this behavior but rather do we also seek to give God pleasure in thanking him when we have successfully completed a hard week or have been given a raise or promotion on our jobs?  Do we casually thank him, or do we take time to sit and eat with him as if at a table?  Experiencing God’s peace and joy is the fruit of the spirit, and a reality for us who allow our faith to be tested by putting our trust in God’s words.

           The fact that Jesus admonishes us to fast suggests that food can be an impasse in hearing God.  In the positive, we are able to hear God better when we fast, especially during difficult periods in our lives, because we are not preoccupied, whether it be mindfully or mindlessly, with pleasing our bodies.  As a result, our spiritual senses are heightened and there is less interference. 

          Eating a well balanced diet consisting of fruits and vegetables also helps to keep us spiritually alert.  If God’s sacred spirit resides in our bodies, then we must also seek to nourish regularly our human vessels with pure, unadulterated food.  Then we may find it easier to focus while praying and meditating.