The beginning of the year had arrived and it was time for our churchwide fast to seek God for the year. I had made a decision to enter a contest/accountability group that was following the Paleo lifestyle. We had to track food, sleep, water intake, exercise and vitamins. I was highly motivated because the top 3 winners would be awarded a free entrance to a color run. For those who have not done a color fun run, it can cost up to $40. Being the frugal girl that I am, I was ready to take on the challenge.
The challenge started on a Monday and continued for 45 days. I was well aware that my oldest son’s birthday would fall on the Friday of the first week of the challenge. With the knowlege that I would be giving up pizza and Gigi’s cake, I decided it was worth it. The morning of the party I did all of the party prep. My husband, Kam, arrived home after work to help me finish up the last minute details. As we were rushing around getting everything set up, the doorbell rang. Kam headed to the door as I kept working. Kam was gone for awhile and I could hear little girls’ voices excited outside of our door. My very generous husband decided to change a girl scout’s life by purchasing all 35 of her boxes of cookies.
Nooooooo!!!!!!! While the girl was blown away and uncontainably grateful, I was having buyer’s remorse. I would have rathered for him to give her the cash and keep the cookies, than to have 35 boxes of cookies in my house. I was mentally prepared to resist the temptation of pizza and cake, but Thin Mints??? I did not possess that kind of super power.
I didn’t have time to show my total disdain for this purchase because I still had a party to prepare for. Throwing parties is not a strength for me, so I had to focus on what I needed to do. As the party started I confessed to Kam that I had wanted to buck the party system of having party favors, but now that the party had started I had a change of heart. Well guess what? I had 35 boxes of cookies! Kam brilliantly suggested we send kids home with boxes of cookies. Yes! And my problem was solved.
The party was a hit! I guess. We walked the last guest out and began the clean up process. I glanced at the counter where the mountain of cookies had been and saw there was still a box of Thin Mints left. I had resisted pizza and cake, but my will power was waning. I kept my mind busy the rest of the evening while I cleaned up. No lie, I would almost swear that I heard that box of cookies call to me as I put away the leftovers.
We put the boys to bed and I considered the day a success. A great party, but more than that I had stayed away from sugar. Saturday morning came and I headed into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and get my boys breakfast. As I turned on the light I saw the box of Thin Mints still on the counter. The boys spent the day playing with the new toys Christian had gotten the night before, while I mentally fought the call of those crazy little cookies. Saturday night came and it was time for bed. I had made another 24 hours in the house without touching the box of cookies.
It was Sunday morning, and I knew before my feet hit the ground that those cookies were still there. It was as if they knew I was on my way to the kitchen. I reminded myself that I had made it all day Saturday without a Thin Mint and I didn’t die. I could do it again. Remember ofcourse that Girl Scout cookies are only sold for a short time each year. I was reasoning in my head that this was going to be my only chance to have a Thin MInt. A girl and her cookies can get a little dramatic!
Sunday was our sabbath and we once again enjoyed the boys new toys and watched a movie. Sunday night arrived and I caved. Kam was picking up toys, the boys were in bed and I made the walk over to the kitchen counter. I had settled the dispute in my head to concede to the call of the cookies. As I reached for the box to hold the open side up, I could feel that the box was empty. Are you kidding? Kam looked over and said, “That box has been empty all weekend. The kids finished them at the party!”
An empty box had been dominating my thoughts all weekend. I had used so much mental energy in the battle of me versus the cookies. God spoke to my heart. That is how the enemy works. He battles our thought life with a box full of nothing. My dad taught me growing up that an enemy that uses deception has no power. If he had the power, he wouldn’t need to deceive us.
In the Bible, Delilah had to use deception to over power Sampson. Why? Because one on one, Delilah was not strong enough to defeat him. Sampson was a physical beast that could not be taken down by the hand of others. Delilah willfully made a decision to deceive Sampson.
Using deception is the only way for Satan to have an advantage when you are partnering with God. The enemy knows all too well that when Christ lives in you, you possess the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. He is left to mix a cocktail that contains one part truth and two parts lies, hoping you will be enticed to take a drink.
If you take the time to read the Bible cover to cover you will find that the enemy has one main plan. To deceive. In Genesis, he deceives Eve into thinking that eating of the forbidden fruit will make her life better. In Revelation 20:7 the bible says that Satan will be released and he will go out to deceive the nations. Satan’s desire to deceive is not a one time event.
Choose today not to let an empty box of Thin Mints rule your mind. You have the immense power to choose life! You often hear the phrase, “You are what you eat” I would challenge that a bit and say, “You are what you think!” Don’t let the enemy rule your thoughts.
Phillipians 4:8 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Click her to check out the entire issue of Studio G Winter 2014.
Written for Studio G Magazine.