My struggle with binge eating and addictive behavior toward food went on for 6 years after I went on a crazy restrictive diet and lost a lot of weight. When I stopped my diet, I felt guilty for eating and it triggered me to eat more. Soon it became a cycle. I felt ashamed for eating. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t know how to fix it, and that just increased the cycle.

I tried EVERYTHING to stop binge eating, and I put it on myself and my efforts to do it. When I continued to fail, I hated myself for it and all the blame went onto me. My self esteem took a really big dive. I cried in a dark house and felt so hopeless. Then I met Jesus. It didn’t automatically stop, although I do think it is possible to be healed instantly by Jesus, it’s not always the case when there is something greater to learn in the struggle that will make you stronger in Christ. It was a journey and I knew Jesus was with me.

And after a year of giving it up to him, choosing to stop obsessing about it, it became the past. Of course, the emotional healing was hard at times. Dealing with those feelings was painful, but ultimately they lead me to freedom in Christ. I remember the day it took a big turn. I was eating mindlessly something that didn’t even taste good. Suddenly a thought popped into my mind. “The Fruit of the Spirit is self control.”

It is a verse in Galations 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

That thought really helped me. I know Jesus is in us, I know his Spirit lives in those who call on Him and therefor you DO have the fruit of the Spirit! I believe that the impulse to binge eat and emotionally eat is temptation from Satan. God says that if you resist the devil, he WILL flee from you. When I caught myself eating mindlessly, I would say that out loud or even just to myself, “The Fruit of the Spirit is self control”. It sets the truth straight and confronts the enemy saying, “NO, I have self control and I resist to give in to temptation because Jesus gave me His Spirit.” When I do it, that drive to destruction, that temptation flees from me.

It wasn’t until I relied on Jesus that it changed, so I really happy to hear that you have given it up to Him. It WILL change. Have patience with yourself, rest in your Father’s love for you and never put anyone’s opinion of yourself over GOD’S OPINION OF YOU, including your own. God’s opinion is all love, and perfect love drives out ALL fear! His Grace is enough, and you WILL be healed. Choose to follow him and resist the devil. It WILL change. I am witness to the fact.

ROMANS 5:3-6 “Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”

Have Hope girl, the creator of the ENTIRE UNIVERSE is on your side. And He has poured out His love for you, how do we know? He died for you, so accept your destiny! To be loved and cherished for exactly who you were created to be. YOU. And YOU are beautiful.