Interestingly, every few months or so, I have a conversation with someone struggling with food and weight issues make a statement like, “I had someone tell me that food is just matter, and matter isn’t real, so I can eat whatever I want.” And then they relay a sad saga of eating too many doughnuts, cookies, potato chips, or other junk food, and then feeling guilty afterward, and continuing to suffer.
My first reply is, “Why would you want to eat all those cookies or chips in the first place?” And after a moment of honest self-examination, they typically admit that it’s because they love the sweets or salt.
I mention the above because it’s an example of misusing and abusing spiritual truth.
Yes, in Spirit, there is no matter. And because Spirit is all, matter is not real, it’s not the substance it appears to be. Christian Science explains that it’s a temporary phenomenon of mortal mind that eventually fades and yields to spiritual reality—to the kingdom of heaven. If something is real, it must last forever, and matter doesn’t last forever.
But to say, “matter is not real,” and then to indulge it as if it is real, is a contradiction.
When one consumes a half-dozen cookies, and thinks each time they take a bite, “Oh my goodness, this cookie is soooo good,” they are making a reality of that cookie and giving it mind-power over their feelings and actions. The real issue is not whether matter is real, at this point, but what is one giving power to over their actions? Are they worshipping God, Spirit, as the source of all goodness, or looking to sugar, salt and sweets (matter) instead?
“You must not have any other god but me” Exodus 20:3, NLT, is a helpful reminder to redirect affections from the sweets of sugar to the sweets of spiritual truth. When one is seeking spiritual happiness instead of sugar highs, the temptation to eat inordinate amounts of food one does not need fades away. It’s not a temptation anymore. One experiences genuine happiness that comes from God and truly satisfies.
Thank you Evan. On jsh.online in the audio chat section for August 16, 2016, Marian English has a recorded chat “How praying with the Lord’s Prayer brings healing.” She mentions how she lost 1 pound a day for thirty days and never gained it back. I love reading SpiritView during the week, listening to and reading all the Christian Science articles I can, and then applying said inspirations. A God-centered living is awesome! I am filled with gratitude to God forever.
Hi Ruth,
Thank you for sharing the audio article. 🙂 Here is a link to it for everyone;
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/sentinel-audio/audio-chats/how-praying-with-the-lord-s-prayer-brings-healing?s=s
Hi Ruth and Kristen.
Thanks to you both for recommending and supplying the link to Marian English’s Audio Chat on Praying with the Lord’s Prayer. I listened to it yesterday and it was transforming for me. It opened up doors of thought and new avenues of insight that set me on a new course. I’m so grateful to you both!
Dear Evan, this is enormously helpful – food for thought in all sorts of directions – the phrase ‘what is one giving power to over their actions? ‘ has clarified a situation for me …. and I thank you, as always, for this, and every, powerful insight shared here. With love, G
The truths elaborated on here apply to all Temptations and is very helpful. Thank you
This is exactly what I thought when I read through the second time. My prayer is that this becomes a spiritual reality (to me) and that with God all things are possible.
Really helpful, Evan!
Thank you!
Thank you Evan. Here is an article I found on jsh-online titled “Love’s Sweet Control” by Sheila P. Geier;
https://journal.christianscience.com/issues/1984/6/102-6/love-s-sweet-control
Thank you Kirsten for the Link to that article – I cannot open it full, as I did not subscribe to the Journal, but only buy it in our reading room. I subscribe to the German Herold and the CS Monitor.
Could you give me this Link in full, please, would be grateful!
Thank you Evan for today`s SpiritView. When I was 17 somebody said to me “fatmolch”. I could not stand that as I did not like to be fat. I hungered so much that I became too thin – that was human will from my side. And when I think back, I was not too fat. It was really mesmerizm that made me angry about that error. I never got that thin again; I would say I am a normal child of God today.
Today I also like sweets and good cookies too much. I always have a bit at home, also for visitors to offer them some cookies when I do not have cake at home.
Evan, I love your last paragraph of today`s SV very much, that we must not have any other gods before us (Exodus 20:3) and to redirect effections from the sweets of sugar to the sweets of spiritual Truth and Love – oh so good and healing – thanks a lot!! 😉
Hi Uta,
I am not sure how to do a link to the article so you can read it without a subscription. 🙁 I think Brian knows a way though. Maybe he will help us if he reads this. 🙂
Good day Evan and group. Thanks for today’s topic. Personally, it is very useful for me. He clarified important things to me. For example, it is true, to be able to overeat we deceive ourselves, with the excuse that food can not harm us, but with gluttony and without realizing we give excessive importance to the matter with its consequences … and then we complain. Evan, I loved your article and I love the comments of the SV group. Excellent week for everyone.
Wonderfully expressed. Thank you so much.
Thank you for the reminder Evan. “You must not have any other God but me” applies to so many areas this existence. Thank you also to those who gave links to other articles.
Here are links to the chat Ruth mentioned in her comment and that Kirsten found online and the article that Kirsten shared that everyone can access.
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1qcl3356uy4?s=e
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2knkkarcj52?s=e
Super duper one today Evan! As others have said this can be applied so many ways, I just love it.
Also, Marian English’s chat is excellent on the Lord’s Prayer, I have listened to it many times and found new nuggets to ponder and apply. Thanks everyone.
Thank you so much for this Evan ! Not only helpful for me, but the work before us to help change the world thought about food and appetite, and all that comes with it by changing our own thinking about it. Like Mary Baker Eddy said “the world is holding it before your gaze continually”. Your ideas are so helpful and right on target. I wanted to thank Kristen for the article link. I have read it now at least three times, so many good replacement thoughts! Definitely food for thought! Thank you all !
Thank you so much, Evan. I am prayerfully working on this subject myself. I am going to work with this as well as the Daily Lift and accompanying article for myself and all of mankind.
This really helped me to understand the concept so much better. It felt like a piece of the puzzle just clicked into place regarding this topic THANK YOU!!