Deeper Dietetics- Walk Through Psalm 107:1-18 With Me!
- Bailee Chavez
- Jun 11, 2023
- 7 min read
Psalm 107
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
The Lord’s mercy endures forever.
Mercy = “The definition of mercy is the capacity to overlook a mistake and grant a person another chance. It is a kind gesture for those who have wounded us. Merciful people demonstrate empathy and compassion and are patient, kind, and tender-hearted" (1).
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
Sharing your story can seem hard, but is a great blessing to show others the many ways and circumstances in which God can intervene.
3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
It is the Lord who delivers us out of our distresses.
The LORD delivers us from our distresses- NOT awards, good grades, our own perfection, a completed to-do list, a relationship, the perfect body, or whatever else is coming to your mind besides God :)
7 He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. 8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. 10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
The Lord brings us out of the darkness and out of the shadow of death. He breaks our chains in pieces.
Have you ever felt like you were enslaved to something?
”This is a shadow of the sinner's deliverance from a far worse confinement. The awakened sinner discovers his guilt and misery. Having struggled in vain for deliverance, he finds there is no help for him but in the mercy and grace of God. His sin is forgiven by a merciful God, and his pardon is accompanied by deliverance from the power of sin and Satan, and by the sanctifying and comforting influences of God the Holy Spirit.” (2)
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. 12 So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. 15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 16 for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. 17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
When you rebel against the Word of God, you will be bound in affliction.
Suffering is not always the result of your own wrong-doing. However, if you are going against the Word of God, chances are you will feel far from Him. For me, feeling far away from God is the equivalent of being afflicted. I may be able to sweep this feeling under the rug for a little while. But after a while of feeling like this, my soul can’t take it any more. I come running back, and He welcomes me with open arms. He lovingly reminds me that this comfort and peace is available at all times- during times of jubilation in addition to times of pain.
18 They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.
Their soul abhorred all manner of food. God created food to be delighted in. In relevance to eating disorders, you are not in touch with God’s will for your life, and so you wrongfully abhor food.
As I was reading Psalm 107 again in order to write this blog post, verse 18 stuck out to me once more.
Now, Satan, of course, wanted me to believe this was just a coincidence with no real importance. But there was a tugging in my heart that I couldn't ignore. So I googled a commentary on Psalm 107:18 and found this post, which gave words to exactly what I was thinking! Definitely give it a read.
In the Bible, when food or health is mentioned, people typically refer to verses regarding gluttony or the classic “physical training is of some value” verse. These are all important topics to consider; however, for people with eating disorders, they don’t need another person telling them all of the negative health statistics we’re facing or praise for their "healthy" and hardworking behaviors. In my experience, these things are extremely unhelpful. Even if they are true, we are not a number or statistic. Each of us is unique and beautiful with very individual needs. This world doesn’t need another person to release a new fitness plan or “perfect” diet. More so, eating and exercise disorders are not physical disorders. They are all about the mind and can occur at any weight.
No amount of food and exercise or lack thereof can heal them fully. The best recovery involves nervous system regulation, a renewed perspective on life, and a strong faith.
In going through this season of my life, I told my mom that I wished there was someone who would help me navigate this from a faith-based perspective. My soul desperately needed rest & I was trying to force fulfillment from the false god I had made of my own eating and exercise rules.
I am aware of the fact that there will be someone who will read this post who is now in the utter trenches of this stronghold and in total despair today. I was that woman! I spent hours googling Christian resources for overcoming an eating disorder, and to be honest, there weren’t many out there. Healing was found in the Word of God, through Christian counseling, and over time as God renewed my heart, mind, thoughts, and desires. It wasn’t an overnight change, but rather a change that took place over the years. This is the beauty of the gospel. We are completely covered by Jesus’ shed blood and made new, but we are also being changed daily into His likeness. For the woman deep in the struggle today: take heart, and lean into Jesus, one step at a time. Even a 1% change is change, and it is the good news of the gospel that will bring you through this, set you free, and make your story into a miracle of grace worth shouting from the rooftops, forever and always.
I read Psalm 107 one night this week when I felt there was no place else I could go. For the first time in my life, I truly felt that I absolutely needed God. I 100% know that, without my faith, I am powerless against the disorder.
There are many people in the same position who need saving. I believe I've had so much push back because Satan doesn't want people healed.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
Matthew 9:37
This is what I desire to do with my career as a dietitian: to meet individuals where they're at and guide them towards a balanced life by teaching them
- how to use biblical wisdom and discernment to make decisions
- silence the voice of the enemy
- eliminate their spirit of fear
- establish a firm identity in the Christ
- keep their eyes on the Lord (NOT others) throughout the entire process towards life-long, sustainable joy and health.
Do I know exactly what this will look like/entail? No, but I trust God with what He has placed on my heart.
Everything we do flows from the heart. We are told to seek God first, and everything else will follow from this.
The world addresses health by trying to fix the external first. This approach may bring about physical change, but not change that is long-lasting, pure, or fulfilling. FULL healing happens when we address the soul (which can take place before the physical change or in conjunction with physical change depending on the severity of the situation- i.e. if someone is anorexic or in a diabetic coma....)
I am very thankful to be pursing a career with a deeper meaning for me, one that will help me lead others to the Lord, and one that will require me to be oh-so steadfast in my faith to be able to endure and fully show up for my clients.
And I am so thankful I am learning this lesson now so that I will not carry any of this into can work my future master's degree journey, ministry, marriage, motherhood, or whatever else the Lord has in store for me.
I want to be a dietitian who meets them where they’re at- mirroring what God does for us- and helps them live a healthy life using a holistic approach.
"If dependence is the goal, weakness is an advantage."
- Allistair Beg
When our spirits are aligned with Christ, we are then able to navigate our health and other life choices with wisdom and dignity.
To be honest, I have spent much time looking to others and what works for them regarding their health.
Recently, I felt God tenderly saying- that’s great if that works for them. But, what is that to You? You follow me (John 21:22).
The truth is that I will never be like anyone else I am striving to emulate, and that’s a good thing. He has his own story written for me.
A beautiful thing happens when you step into your own story.
In wrestling with this concept, I told God-
But Lord, if I actually believed this to be true, if I truly lived this out, that would change everything.
And I heard a sweet whisper,
My beloved, that's the point.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Thanks for going through part of Psalm 107 with me. This is what the Bible means when it tells us that the Word is alive and active. It meets us right where we’re at and gives us a way out of our distress if we allow God to soften our hearts and open our eyes.
Maybe this psalm speaks to you in a different way. And that is completely fine. But, know that the Bible is meant to change You. That change may seem scary, too good to be true, or unrealistic.
But this is only because Your view of God is far too small.
Talk to you next week!
Bailee Chavez 🤍🤍
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Psalm 73:26-27
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