In her book Made to Crave, Lysa Terkeurst writes about how a weight loss company came up with a brilliant weight loss campaign.
A little orange monster chases a woman around, tempting and taunting her with foods that obviously aren’t a part of her healthy eating plan. The ads perfectly capture what it’s like to be tortured by cravings all day.
The lie of the “little orange monster” is that if you just give in to him that you will feel better. Just as it is with addictions, you do feel better—for a time. Until you take the last bite, step on the scale, or wake up the next morning tired from sugar overdose.
That’s the way temptation works. It promises to deliver you from the internal pain you feel and make you happy, then after you give in, it mocks you for surrendering. Self-control, on the other hand, never tricks you. It always delivers satisfaction when you say no when you really want to say yes.
Before Christmas, I completed a juice fast using raw fruits and veggies. I began my juicing journey anticipating physical results. I knew my skin would look better and I would have more energy. But I didn’t know how happy I would feel.
As I strolled through the airport on a layover on my way to visit my family, I was struck by how much joy I gained by saying no. In our society, we have been taught that getting more brings more joy. Get more money. Get a bigger house. Get more power. So, it makes sense that getting more food would do the same. But that isn’t how it is at all, because as I mentioned, temptation mocks you when you give in to it. It never delivers good feelings. But when you stave off temptation, self-control feels really, really good. This is because you know you are making the right choices with God’s help.
This is what I felt as I walked through the airport. I experienced the sudden realization that my internal strength was growing, my self-respect increasing, and my desire to take care of my physical body becoming magnified. I felt empowered by God and and I felt happy.
So here is my question: What or who is stopping you from experiencing the satisfaction that comes from resisting temptation? Are you your own worst enemy? Do you tell yourself that you can’t accomplish your goals even though God has said that you can do all things through Him (Philippians 4:13)? Have you allowed fear to keep you from God’s best?
Once you identify what or who is stopping you, pray against these obstacles, then make a plan to say no to the little orange monster. If you need to, get some accountability. Then remember 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to all of us. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Additional Resources
What would it look like if your passion (what you really get excited about), your giftedness (what you’re really good at), and your calling (your unique purpose in life) were perfectly aligned? The Blueprint for Life study helps you identify a personal blueprint for your life and create action steps to experience the life you were born to live! The study contains a workbook and ten audio messages featuring Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Tony Evans, John Maxwell and others. Click here to check it out!
