Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.” The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with a heavy heart. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and not about to let go. Mark 10:21-22 (The Message)
“As Americans, we think we don’t need Jesus. We have so many other things we use to comfort ourselves.” MacKenzie R., age 18
This morning in church, a young woman spoke in church about her nine month mission trip. She left last September, travelling first to Honduras and Guatemala for three months. From there, she flew halfway around the world to the Philippines for the second third of her trip. The last portion was spent in Botswana in Southern Africa. She carried with her the only possessions she would use for nine months, a backpack, a sleeping bag and tent and a few clothes. During her nine months away, MacKenzie taught orphans and street children. She encouraged young women who have sold their bodies to survive. She met young men addicted to paint thinner because it reduces the feelings of hunger and is cheaper to buy than food. All the while, she endeavored to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone she encountered. She was chased by wild donkeys in Africa, hitchhiked to school in Manila, rode a motorcycle in Guatemala and faced witchcraft and sorcery in Honduras. Oh, and got a new tattoo on each continent. Were I her mother, I would be committed to an insane asylum by now. What both MacKenzie and her mom, Genni, discovered is that it is impossible for an ordinary person to be extraordinary without fully trusting God. And fully trusting God means to be totally focused and totally committed to Him without distractions or dependence on anything else. MacKenzie said that when everything else familiar was stripped away, possessions, entertainment, food, family and home, she was able to hear God’s voice clearer and know His direction for her with certainty. While I am not going to near the extreme that MacKenize did in my 21 day detox from sugar, I am coming to some of those same conclusions. Until I removed sugar from my diet, I did not realize how much I used to it comfort myself. Have a meeting I am dreading across town? No worries, I will pass Whole Foods and can stop in to buy some cookies. Have a doctor’s appointment in the next county? Afterwards, I will go by the Amish market for a fried pie. A trip cross the big bridge for another appointment? The whole way there I think about the cupcake store. Being stressed at work drives me to my coworkers’ desk drawer which is filled with chocolate. Coming home from work, all I can think about is what I will snack on while making dinner. A friend who is doing the detox with me said she has been feeling depressed and anxious. She asked if I was. As a matter of fact, I was until I figured out that it was because I was missing my comfort food, sugar, and that I needed to find a substitute for that lack. When we depend upon anything else but God, it will be disappointing and unsatisfying. Not to mention fattening. MacKenzie learned that lesson on the other side of the world. I am learning it standing in front of my refrigerator.
Just what I needed to hear – about depending on God 100%. You are right – Americans have so much to distract themselves that they (and I) never hear God's voice.
That – and the fact that you are doing a sugar detox. I want to do the same thing and have been thinking about it. While thinking about it and the damage sugar does, I have imbibed more sugar than usual – I guess the thought of sugar has stressed me out – ha ha!!
I'm going to go over your past posts to see if you mention the how or the sugar de-tox, but if you don't – can you let me know what exactly you are doing to get off sugar?