A FEW YEARS ago I was diagnosed with ‘High Fructose Corn Syrup Malabsorption.’ This is a fairly new condition caused by the digestive system to not process certain foods. The side affects can vary but mine was muscle cramping in my stomach along with diarrhea, besides other factors. It took many years to find out the problem but what a relief when they told me what I had. It was another thing, when they told me there was no cure and there were no medicines to treat it. A change in my eating habits was needed!
SINCE this condition was new there were few resources for me to read and to understand and know what foods I could eat, and what foods I needed to stay away from. My Doctor said it would be ‘trial and error!’ There was a book written by a married couple. They both had this condition and in reading their discoveries, no two people were alike. The husband could eat green beans but the wife couldn’t. Trial and error was not a pleasant thought. If I chose wisely my life would be good; but if I chose badly life would be miserable.
I HAVE LEARNED that to experiment, was not for me! I didn’t want to know that I was possibly going to hurt and go thru much discomfort by choice. Many times error’s occurred because I didn’t foresee any problems. Because the foods I can’t eat, aren’t generally caused just by high fructose corn syrup; I have to be on my toes all the time. I ask questions at restaurants; I am not afraid to hurt someone feelings, because I won’t even taste their food they have made. I no longer eat the kinds of foods that I have always loved, and that brought me momentary happiness. I discovered when eating only the foods that I could eat, I could be happy all the time.
RECENTLY it occurred to me that if I can learn to eat only to live, and be successful (for the most part), then I should be able to not sin, successfully. I know that thru baptism my sins are not only forgiven but the Holy Spirit came to live in me. I have help to keep my body under control! Because “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God!” Romans 3:23 I know I am sinful! I also believe that Christ died for all sins and therefore when I confess and repent of my sins God has promised to forgive me! But I still sin!
WITH THE Holy Spirit within me, what if, even though I am forgiven for all my past sins when I was baptized, what about being able to control my present and future sins? The Word says; “I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me!” Philippians 4:13 What would that look like? Could I actually do that? Has anyone ever lived or is living now, able to be sinless, other than our Savior? If we can do all things, is being sinless one of the things we can do? Paul said; “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1st Corinthians 9:24-27
I BELIEVE Paul was closer to becoming sinless than anyone I know about! And yet, he was a sinful man. Paul talks about things that cannot separate us from God especially death, when we belong to Jesus. I believe that continuing in sin can grieve the Holy Spirit and keep us from receiving eternal life. Because although God doesn’t choose to leave us, we can choose to leave Him. How sad for our souls!
“NO, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 Paul says nothing can separate us from God’s love. If I can control what I eat so I will not physically hurt; like Paul, I can buffet my body so my soul will be pleasing to the Father. I can try and “set my mind upon the things above and not on the things of this earth.” Colossians 3:2
Satan get behind me; I belong to Jesus! Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/20/16
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