Sweeter Than Honey
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! - Psalm 119:103
On more than one occasion, the psalmist tells us that the Word of God is sweeter than honey. He expresses how spending time in God's Word should be a delight, not a duty. And while I've had many beautiful moments in my Bible, I confess that sometimes I treat my time with God as more of an obligation than a privilege. I don't mean to. I don't want to. But it happens more often than I care to admit.
As I pondered why my times in the Word weren't always enjoyable and fruitful, the Lord brought another portion of Scripture to my attention. For those of you who—like me—don't appreciate having your toes stomped on, I warn you, this verse is a little hard to swallow. But it's a truth I needed to hear and maybe you need to hear it too.
The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. - Proverbs 27:7
My daily meals in the Word aren't always what I long for them to be because I often stuff myself full of other things. I'm distracted by the demands of the day. I'm filled to the brim with worries and stressors. I'm chewing on the latest argument with my spouse, the unkind words spoken by someone who claimed to be my friend, or the latest gossip I heard in the coffee shop. I'm busy digesting the daily news and social media posts. In other words, I've allowed myself to fill up on junk food to the point that I have no appetite for the nutritious meal my soul needs and desires.
When it comes to physical food, I've trained myself to stop snacking between meals. While I love popcorn, baked goods, and so many other delectable goodies, I also love being able to fit into my clothes. Not only that, but I discovered that when I snack between meals, I don't typically have room for the meal itself. This means my body is getting a lot of calories but very little nutrition, which leads to many health issues.
The same is true in our spiritual life. If we're constantly filling up on the things of the world, we'll never have room for the Word of God, which is sweeter than honey and more satisfying than anything this world has to offer. To stop filling up on spiritual junk food, I have to be more mindful about what I'm taking in.
Mindless eating involves sitting in front of the television and gulping down an entire bag of cookies without realizing it. Or drowning my emotional hurt in a slice (or four) of chocolate cake. Mindless eating doesn't fill a need; it just makes us feel like it does. . .temporarily. But when the subsequent hurt comes along, look out, ice cream!
It works the same way with our spiritual diet. We often partake of the world's junk food without even realizing we're doing it. Instead of turning off the news, we let it suck us in with its stories of doom and gloom. Instead of turning a deaf ear to the local gossip, we tune in, arguing that we need to "be informed." Instead of starting our day in prayer, we scroll through our emails and social media, allowing it to cloud our thoughts (and often our moods). We're not setting out to fill up on spiritual junk food. We're just not being mindful of our choices.
I don't know about you, but I despise dieting. The thought of counting calories and cutting food groups makes me cringe. But being mindful enough to cut out the snacks between meals? It's not that difficult. And in the end, I'm glad because the meal itself tastes so much better when I'm not already full.
If I can do it with physical food, surely I can do it with spiritual food as well, right? Sure, I can, and you can too. After all, we can do all things through Christ because He will give us the strength to accomplish it (Philippians 4:13). So, let's put down those spiritual candy bars and enjoy a healthy meal of God's Word. Bon Appétit
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. - Psalm 19:7-11