Manna is an edible substance that, according to Judeo-Christian and Islamic doctrine, God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert according to the Bible. It was divinely and miraculously supplied to the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness. Manna in Hebrew means: what is it. The people were hungry and grumbling and complaining all over the place. Hey, I'm a diabetic and I understand how being hungry directly affects your mind and your mood! I'm the last one to criticize or point a finger at someone who is moody because of hunger, believe me!
There were some interesting "strings" attached to this provision of manna. God provided only a day's worth of manna for each individual. I find it quite intriguing that the God who made our bodies knows just how much manna that would be for each one of us. It's my guess that a 5'2" individual such as myself would not get as large a basket of manna as say, a 6'2" individual. My little body does not need as much nourishment, so I would not require as much food.
Let's take that philosophy and apply it to our life today. We have an abundance of food - all around us! Food has become the drug of choice for many people and we consistently abuse it - then wonder where we went wrong. Are you in a bad mood or having a bad day? Go grab a double cheese burger and a large order of french fries - that will fix you right up, right? Well - not exactly.
We as a society have forgotten how to be held accountable to God - and to ourselves - when it comes to food. I know everyone is busy and we're all just scrambling to survive - I get it. But if we would just take a moment to engage some plain ol' common sense into the equation, it would make a tremendous impact on how we view food and portion control. Let's apply this rule that God applied to the Israelites in the desert - just enough for the day.
Of course, on the sixth day the people were told to stock up on manna for the day of rest, but do you remember what happened when some of the people tried to "stock up" on manna on the other days? How did that work out for them? Well, it didn't. The manna spoiled on them! There were maggots in it. I'd call that spoiled. I'm not into eating maggots, are you? Gross!
How do we apply "the manna mentality" today? I'm glad you asked! It's as simple as this: keep in mind how tall you are and how much you weigh now. Ask yourself how large your basket of manna should be for the entire day. Realize that a person who is taller than you will receive a larger basket than you - and try to be okay with that. Accept the fact that your little basket of manna is going to be what you need to eat today to be fit and healthy. Above all, be grateful for what you do receive - every day! An attitude of gratitude goes a very long way! When you combine a keen sense of portion control with gratitude for what you have - that is a winning combination indeed!
Stop comparing your basket of manna with your neighbor's basket! Be thankful to God for your basket of blessings! I promise if you adopt this thought process, you will never feel deprived of anything - but you will feel so abundantly blessed for what God has given you - and what He will give you tomorrow!
I challenge you to give this "manna mentality" a try!
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. - Brian Tracy
Listen to this wonderful song entitled "Contentment", a piano piece by David Roney.
http://youtu.be/ZtDMcJAbewE
2 comments:
Sadly, I think most people eat far too many calories. Most people don't even realize how much they are eating every day. When I decide to have a treat, I get something that I can eat that day and not have it staring at me for several days.
I've learned through years of dieting that there's a middle ground between flat out denial and over indulgence. Snack if you must but then eat a portion and put it away.
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