trbccoffeebreak

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

It’s a new year. And it’s a new opportunity to “commit” to losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, etc. (Wait, this might only be me…) Regardless of whether it’s a calendar page turn to January, a birthday, or an impending reunion, people in our culture seem to make a habit of making new habits (or breaking old ones).

Good thing that we can watch any TV show, a favorite podcast, or some waste-of-time YouTube video and be provided with a plethora of nutritional supplements that shout promises of success. In all transparency, I’ve fallen for some of these schemes—spending a lot of money to realize the assured benefits, only to be let down.

But 2022 is different (no, really). This year, as I sat at the table on January 1, exhausted from all-night-fireworks insomnia, I determined to do things differently. This year, I will be motivated not by weight loss, but by the simple idea of nourishing my body with whole, real food. No processed junk, nominal-to-no sugar, nothing full of unpronounceable ingredients. It’s all we need, really. (Now, we can go on a tangent of how the quality of even “whole” food has markedly deteriorated over the decades, let alone how God’s natural food provisions have devolved as this world has…but we’ll table that for now.)

What’s the spiritual point here? When we give our life to Christ, accepting that He made a way to reconcile sinners to a holy God by sacrificing Himself and rising victorious over death, we are made complete (Colossians 2:10). We are saved (redeemed and justified) by grace alone, through faith in Christ. This is the whole Truth: Jesus Christ is sufficient. But, friend, so many people—believers and unbelievers alike—are deceived by the spiritual equivalent of those YouTube snake oil salesman. They tell us, “Sure, Jesus is a good thing, but you need Jesus and _______.” Jesus and good works. Jesus and self-denial. Jesus and human philosophy or the latest psychological theory. Jesus and rituals. The list goes on and on.

But the moment we surrender to Jesus, we are made a new creation in Him. The old is gone, the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15)! No supplements needed! Everything else is processed junk that fills us with false gratification, only to eventually leave us feeling worse. Jesus is sufficient. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

So, how about it? Make this year a year nourishing your mind, heart, and spirit with Jesus. If you haven’t surrendered to Him yet—today’s a great day. If you are a Christian, then spend more time with Him this year—get to know Him better by digging into His Word (the Bible). In a world of culturally hip false promises and enticing lies of the enemy, there is nothing more wholly satisfying to the soul than Jesus.

“Lord, may I turn away from the ways of this world that substitute for or detract from You. Help me fully nourish myself with Truth alone.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life