philosophical Thoughts, Life Advice, and Unpopular Opinions

Deadly sin #2-gluttony

So last time I talked a little bit about envy. This time, we're going to talk about gluttony. The basic definition of gluttony is an excessive, greedy appetite. Most of the time we think of someone eating too much when we hear the word gluttony. But the truth is, the word may be spelled G-L-U-T-T-O-N-Y, it's really pronounced i-doll-u-tree (idolatry). Even Paul recognizes this in his letter to the Philippians when he says "For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.  They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth." (Phil 3:18-19, NLT). 

Gluttony is not just about food, it's about over indulging in anything. This can include alcohol, pornography, drugs, anything. It's your God. It's an addiction. You serve your gluttony. It calls the shots, and it will betray you. Solomon says in proverbs that gluttons are "...on their way to poverty..." (Prov 23:21,NLT). This is why it's listed as one of the seven deadly sins. It's an idol, and false Gods will never come through for you and will end up being the death of you. 

When we commit the sin of gluttony, usually it's to fill up some sort of void in our hearts. An excessive appetite is a sign of something missing. There is something that not only the body is craving, but the soul. Gluttons are slaves to their indulgence because it can never fully satisfy them. So how do we defeat this? Well, we can take these appetites that can't be satisfied to God, who is the only one that can fully satisfy us with his unfailing love (psalm 90:14). We can't fill this void in our lives with the things of this world, which is why God forbids gluttony. He also makes it very clear that we should not have any other gods before him, as is the first of the ten commandments. 

If your over indulgence has become a serious, physical addiction (such as alcoholism or a drug addiction), seek professional medical help! Please understand I'm no medical professional, so if you are struggling with a serious addiction, don't go it alone, because that could be dangerous. Always have a medical professional monitoring you. They'll probably have you ween off of whatever you're addicted to slowly. 

So, if this sounds like you, ask yourself what void may you be trying to fill? Are you trying to fill up that God-shaped hole in your heart with things other than God? If so, stop, and turn to the Lord and ask him to fill you with his peace and unfailing love, and be open and honest with him. Lay your insatiable appetite at his feet, and he will satisfy you fully and completely, which is a promise from God. Tell your appetite that you're no longer serving it, but serving God. With God's strength and his love, you can defeat your gluttony!