The Chocolate Bunny Idol

Now that I've been on this 'fast' a full 10 days...a third of the way...I've made some observations.  There's not enough time for me to list - or you to read - all of them in one sitting, so I'll share one a day.  I give them to you in no particular order except to say that some don't seem to have any deep spiritual meaning on the surface, but still, I'm discovering strengths and uncovering weaknesses, so at least for me, it's all valid intel.

Observation number one:  I miss chocolate.  Period.  I don't believe we've ever been separated this long since...well, since we were first introduced - most likely in my toddler days..  And THAT was a very long time ago.

Chocolate and I, we have this love-hate relationship.  I love it, and it hates to see me smooth-skinned and thin.  Seriously though, stepping away from sweets has been the second most difficult thing I've done the past week and a half.  Wow...put in those terms it hardly sounds like the eternity I feel it's been!

On the other hand, while it is obviously a weakness of mine, I found that I have incredible strength.  As someone who loves to bake, chocolate is all over my kitchen.  In fact, in the past 10 days I have baked one of my 'famous' homemade chocolate cakes with homemade chocolate icing for someone's birthday, and a batch of sugar cookies garnished with caramel, white and dark chocolate and sea salt for another friend.
From those things I've taken not one taste.  Not a lick of the spoon.  "Don't torture yourself" I hear some saying..."purge your house of it".  I could do that, but life is wrought with temptations - big and small - and we cannot live our days in avoidance.  I need to be able to stare it in the eye and say, "God is in control of my life, not my desires".  If something isn't good for me, I need to learn to walk away.

Don't get me wrong...in 20 more days, I may in fact have a piece of chocolate.  But it won't be the over indulgence it might once have been.  For starters, I suffered through a 3 day headache as I literally withdrew from sweets.  That's a sobering situation.  Nothing should have such a hold on me that I have to have physical pain from it...that's an addiction.

I started this journey to remove some idols I saw being set up in my life.  Anything that reaches addiction status is an idol for sure.  Reminds me a little of that chocolate idol in Veggie Tales "Rack, Shack & Benny".  If you're not familiar with this classic, it's based on Daniel 3 - a portion of scripture that God has put "in my way" at every turn for a number of months now.  The story (short version) is about three of the Hebrew men taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar.  They were given new names, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  The king created a 90 foot high image of gold that all were to worship, but these three men refused.  Word got back to the king and he summoned and questioned them.  They stand firm with these words from Daniel 3:16 - 18 "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."  Upon hearing those words, the king orders them to be thrown into a furnace which he has heated 7 times hotter than usual.  The men are tossed into the furnace - the heat so strong it kills those who throw them in - but 4 men are seen walking around in the fire unconsumed.  The king shouted to them to come out and is so impacted by how they have been protected, he warns everyone that if they say anything against the God of these men, that person will be killed.  

So I do miss chocolate, but I do not "love the bunny" enough to keep it an idol in my life.  I am willing to surrender that desire for one so much more important and life-giving...desiring after God.  Psalm 103:2 & 5 "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."