A Liturgy for Those Struggling with Food
For those stuck at home, whose unhealthy eating habits are creeping back in,
you are not alone.
For those triggered by a lack of control to return to disordered eating,
you are safe and you are seen.
For those who eat to assuage a troubled heart,
there is a comfort beyond what food can give.
For those who feel like they cannot escape from their thoughts,
there is freedom in the Spirit who quiets our hearts.
For those who feel like they keep failing,
there is abundant grace to stumble and fall.
O God, in this unprecedented time where
we feel out of control
and struggle to manage unstructured time
and have access to our pantries at all hours,
help us to care for our Temples with your kindness.
Prompt us to seek help when we need it.
Teach us to nourish our bodies when we feel ashamed of them.
Help us turn away from the deceptive voice of loneliness
and run to you as our true friend and companion.
When we are disgusted by our appetites,
help us embrace and accept our hunger with gentleness.
When we are threatened by food,
help us remember that food is not the enemy.
When we are tempted to starve ourselves,
help us to ask you for the courage to be filled.
When we are tempted to eat too much,
help us pause, breathe, and acknowledge that we are satisfied in you.
When we turn to food for comfort,
help us acknowledge our spiritual hunger and surrender our emptiness to you.
May we pull our struggles and shame into the light,
sharing our burdens with one another and receiving the help we can’t find alone.
O God, you satisfy us as with the richest of foods.
Thank you for providing our daily bread.
We have tasted and seen that you are good.
May everything we eat bring glory to you.
May we choose foods that give nourishment and delight.
May we eat slowly, savoring the gifts of taste and flavor.
May we swallow with gratefulness, receiving strength and energy with joy.
May we eat in community, trusting that food is enjoyed more at your table with your people.
May we celebrate fullness, knowing that it is you who provides.
May we fill our bodies, our minds, and our souls with good things.
May we hunger and thirst for righteousness, knowing we will be filled.
Amen.
Each of these liturgies was prayerfully written based on the promises of God in Scripture. We’ve listed them below with links, for those who wish to study further.
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