a theology of food??

... seems like a funny thing to think about, but God has been showing me lately a lot through my newly discovered food allergies. Some are things I don't really like to see. Some are things I've ignored for years. Some are newly discovered fears.

Here are some thoughts.
1. God has been showing me my dependence on Him as my Provider. My body is weak. For some reason, it can't handle food like it once could. The energy that used to be there seems to have disappeared. But in my weakness, I can look to Him as my Strength. In my need, He is more than sufficient to meet those needs.

2. I wasn't aware of this prior to about a month ago, but I am a fear-filled person. I fear eating at a restaurant - what if they serve me something that has dairy or gluten or wheat and I don't know about it? What if I get sick again like I did last weekend? What is safe to eat? How can I know for sure? This has provided a significant opportunity for me to learn a deeper trust in God. My God knows my limitations. He knows my needs. If I'm doing what I need to in order to avoid eating what I shouldn't and I accidentally do eat something I'm allergic to, He will sustain me. He will provide grace for that moment when the added trial comes. What a sweet (but very hard) lesson this has been to learn.

3. God has been revealing to me that for years food has been an area of laziness for me. I have simply just made food choices based either on what was easy or what was convenient or simply if it was what I wanted. By His grace, He's now provided me another area to learn self-control and humility.

This has been hard. It has been a trial and my body has been paying the price. But God has proven Himself faithful and has given me the hope that He will continue to do so.