Fear of food (help)

[AmberB]

Well, sort of. It's more a fear of the OT laws and what they say about pork and other unclean animals. I can't tell if it's still in affect. SO MANY people say you CAN eat pork. SO MANY say that you can't. Both arguments seem to have good points and make sense.
So just don't eat bacon then, right? Not exactly. If the OT laws are still in affect, I can't eat anything that even has traces of it. You know, the whole kosher thing. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but I live with my dad and I'm out of work because of an injury, so I can't buy anything. I doubt my dad is gonna go kosher for me.

Besides, I don't want to be kosher. Don't get me wrong, if I absolutely have to because God wants me to, then I will, but I get nervous because I can't tell if I have to. I don't want to be obsessed with the law because then that's basically ignoring Jesus so to speak, which is bad, but if I have to do the OT laws, I don't want to ignore them. I try to go based on my conscience or if I feel convicted, but my anxiety and over active mind makes that difficult. Sometimes I fear eating or using things with traces of pork (not just food but it's in soap, cleaners, makeup, etc.), and sometimes it feels fine and I don't mind. So I'm like ????

I worry that I'm just searching for reason that it's okay so I don't have to evaluate everything and I can eat, but I don't want to get in trouble.

I'm at Thanksgiving with my family right now and I'm very anxious. I don't know if I should eat. Traces of pork could be in anything, even the most unsuspecting thing. Sometimes I'll calm down and be like, "Okay it's fine. Just eat."

And then I go to eat and I worry that I'll go to hell. I can't imagine God sending me to hell just because I ate at Thanksgiving, but if it is a sin to eat pork, then down I go. I know God is loving, but I guess I see Him as very strict and... I don't know.

I worry over the law so much that I worry I'm like the Pharisees or something. I'm not having enough faith in Jesus. But I worry if I don't follow them, I'll be screwed, too.

Some people believe that the old laws were meant to be there UNTIL Jesus came. Others believe they are still relevant, but just doing them won't be the thing that saves you, Jesus will. That makes sense because that's how it is with the 10 Commandments, however I don't know if it's JUST the 10 Commandments, or also the 600+ OT laws (no pig, mixed fabric, etc etc.)

I'm depressed because it just seems very difficult to do. Not just no pork, but also the other laws. But then I was told (and I may have misinterpreted this) that if the laws are burdensome to you, or this difficult then basically you are not saved. Because I guess there is a part in the Bible that says something like "an unsaved heart can't or won't accept God's law".
Or something like that. I may have misunderstood, but that makes me think that because I'm worried and struggling with this, I'm not saved then?

I really don't want to be mad at God or anything, but that upsets me a lot. I'm trying so hard and I might not even be saved?

Then I also feel selfish for being so upset about food. I guess I'm mostly upset today because it's thanksgiving with family and they are all gonna eat and I'm just probably going to sit in another room. I don't want to put food or people before God, but idk.

I want to just pick a "side" so to speak and move on. But I feel like I'll be worried about my decision for the rest of my life.

I mean I guess it's better to be safe then sorry and just not eat, but then I get sad. And then I get sad that I'm sad because I feel selfish.

I feel like no matter what I do or how I feel, I will be bad and go to hell. Why bother? I'll get a burst of assurance that it's fine, but I can't tell if that's temptations or my flesh wanting to, and then shortly after I'll get anxiety again so I'm so confused.

I don't want to live. I want to badly to be saved and then for God to take me home. This is just one problem I have, I'm also concerned about a TON of other subjects. But I don't even know if I'm saved. I'll be confident that I'm saved, and then it goes away shortly after so I'm never sure. I KNOW what Jesus says about believing in him and stuff, and I trust that, but I worry that if I go against laws that I'm supposed to do (if I even have to do them, that is) it won't matter that I have faith. Cause yeah faith is what saves you, but you can't go around murdering people and then be like, "It's okay I'm still going to heaven." You have to obey. I just don't know WHAT I have to obey.

Like I said, I was thinking it's better to be safe than sorry, but all the (600+) laws seem so burdensome. But then I feel like I'm just being selfish and they really aren't and I'm just lazy or something. Plus I'm worried that if I focus on them too much, that's bad, too. So then I tell myself to just follow them but focus on Jesus while doing it and keep the knowledge that the law won't save me, but then it goes back to the burdensome problem.

Maybe if today wasn't a day that was revolved around food and my family wasn't expecting to eat, this would be easier. I feel so pathetic. I want to go home and be with Jesus.

Edit: MY dad has been convincing me to eat and I think I will, but my anxiety is kicking in. Idk what to do.

 

[Christie insb]

Well, sort of. It's more a fear of the OT laws and what they say about pork and other unclean animals. I can't tell if it's still in affect. SO MANY people say you CAN eat pork. SO MANY say that you can't. Both arguments seem to have good points and make sense.
So just don't eat bacon then, right? Not exactly. If the OT laws are still in affect, I can't eat anything that even has traces of it. You know, the whole kosher thing. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but I live with my dad and I'm out of work because of an injury, so I can't buy anything. I doubt my dad is gonna go kosher for me.

Besides, I don't want to be kosher. Don't get me wrong, if I absolutely have to because God wants me to, then I will, but I get nervous because I can't tell if I have to. I don't want to be obsessed with the law because then that's basically ignoring Jesus so to speak, which is bad, but if I have to do the OT laws, I don't want to ignore them. I try to go based on my conscience or if I feel convicted, but my anxiety and over active mind makes that difficult. Sometimes I fear eating or using things with traces of pork (not just food but it's in soap, cleaners, makeup, etc.), and sometimes it feels fine and I don't mind. So I'm like ????

I worry that I'm just searching for reason that it's okay so I don't have to evaluate everything and I can eat, but I don't want to get in trouble.

I'm at Thanksgiving with my family right now and I'm very anxious. I don't know if I should eat. Traces of pork could be in anything, even the most unsuspecting thing. Sometimes I'll calm down and be like, "Okay it's fine. Just eat."

And then I go to eat and I worry that I'll go to hell. I can't imagine God sending me to hell just because I ate at Thanksgiving, but if it is a sin to eat pork, then down I go. I know God is loving, but I guess I see Him as very strict and... I don't know.

I worry over the law so much that I worry I'm like the Pharisees or something. I'm not having enough faith in Jesus. But I worry if I don't follow them, I'll be screwed, too.

Some people believe that the old laws were meant to be there UNTIL Jesus came. Others believe they are still relevant, but just doing them won't be the thing that saves you, Jesus will. That makes sense because that's how it is with the 10 Commandments, however I don't know if it's JUST the 10 Commandments, or also the 600+ OT laws (no pig, mixed fabric, etc etc.)

I'm depressed because it just seems very difficult to do. Not just no pork, but also the other laws. But then I was told (and I may have misinterpreted this) that if the laws are burdensome to you, or this difficult then basically you are not saved. Because I guess there is a part in the Bible that says something like "an unsaved heart can't or won't accept God's law".
Or something like that. I may have misunderstood, but that makes me think that because I'm worried and struggling with this, I'm not saved then?

I really don't want to be mad at God or anything, but that upsets me a lot. I'm trying so hard and I might not even be saved?

Then I also feel selfish for being so upset about food. I guess I'm mostly upset today because it's thanksgiving with family and they are all gonna eat and I'm just probably going to sit in another room. I don't want to put food or people before God, but idk.

I want to just pick a "side" so to speak and move on. But I feel like I'll be worried about my decision for the rest of my life.

I mean I guess it's better to be safe then sorry and just not eat, but then I get sad. And then I get sad that I'm sad because I feel selfish.

I feel like no matter what I do or how I feel, I will be bad and go to hell. Why bother? I'll get a burst of assurance that it's fine, but I can't tell if that's temptations or my flesh wanting to, and then shortly after I'll get anxiety again so I'm so confused.

I don't want to live. I want to badly to be saved and then for God to take me home. This is just one problem I have, I'm also concerned about a TON of other subjects. But I don't even know if I'm saved. I'll be confident that I'm saved, and then it goes away shortly after so I'm never sure. I KNOW what Jesus says about believing in him and stuff, and I trust that, but I worry that if I go against laws that I'm supposed to do (if I even have to do them, that is) it won't matter that I have faith. Cause yeah faith is what saves you, but you can't go around murdering people and then be like, "It's okay I'm still going to heaven." You have to obey. I just don't know WHAT I have to obey.

Like I said, I was thinking it's better to be safe than sorry, but all the (600+) laws seem so burdensome. But then I feel like I'm just being selfish and they really aren't and I'm just lazy or something. Plus I'm worried that if I focus on them too much, that's bad, too. So then I tell myself to just follow them but focus on Jesus while doing it and keep the knowledge that the law won't save me, but then it goes back to the burdensome problem.

Maybe if today wasn't a day that was revolved around food and my family wasn't expecting to eat, this would be easier. I feel so pathetic. I want to go home and be with Jesus.

Edit: MY dad has been convincing me to eat and I think I will, but my anxiety is kicking in. Idk what to do.

This is exactly why Jesus died for us. There is none righteous, no not one. We are saved by grace. I don't want to waste your time and mine arguing with your OCD, but God loves you without reservation. You are forgiven for eating pork. Praying for you.

 

[alsughasoughaiuyfygh]

.

 

[Rescued One]

Unless you live in the south, it's very unlikely that there will be bacon or pork in any of the food. I usually eat chicken and turkey, occasionally beef. Bacon and pork are seldom in my kitchen.

But Old Testament dietary laws don't pertain to Christians.

Does God require us to follow the Old Testament laws about not eating pork and other kinds of meat today?

The dietary laws for Israel recorded in Leviticus, chapter 11, which include, for example, a prohibition against eating pork, were given for specific religious and, perhaps, health reasons.

The New Testament, however, makes it clear that observation of these Old Testament food laws for religious reasons is no longer required in the New Testament era. Jesus Himself declared that all foods were “clean” (Mark 7:17-23).

In Acts 10:9-16, Peter was informed by God through a vision that he was not to reject the use of certain animals for food on a religious basis. The apostle Paul also writes, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4).

The Bible makes it clear that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Does God require us to follow the Old Testament laws about not eating pork and other kinds of meat today?

 

[Grace2022]

I do sympathise but people really do tie themselves up into knots about food.
Personally i regard it as fuel. To run our bodies. That's it.
Pray to the Lord to calm you and help you get it in perspective. No need to be afraid of food. Turn your mind to more important matters - all of them above.

 

[~Anastasia~]

You will certainly get a variety of opinions. Here's what I would tell you ...

The OT dietary laws were for Israel, along with the others you mention (not mixing fabrics, etc.). They had a time and purpose.

When the Church was established, there was a debate (you can read in Acts) about what to require of non-Jewish people who became Christian. The Apostles decided they did not have to be circumcised, and did not lay the law upon them. They were told such things as to avoid sexual immorality, not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols, to abstain from blood.

God is MUCH more concerned with our loving Him, loving one another, and becoming Christlike.

And if you imagine God would send you to hell for accidentally eating something you didn't even know was in the food? Ahhhhh, He loves us so much that Christ came and died for us. He is not looking for a technicality that He can use as an excuse to condemn people. He is doing everything He can to save everyone (though it is possible for us to refuse Him).

If God was going to condemn us for any sin we commit - no one would be saved. Even if we manage to avoid sinning in actions, we can sin with words. And if we avoid sinning with words, there are thoughts. And if we managed to even avoid sinning in thoughts and attitudes ... there is sin in NOT doing everything good we could do. We should certainly strive to avoid sin, and become more like Christ, but we can't really expect to reach that level of complete sanctification in life. In fact, the closer we grow to God, the more we recognize even tiny sins in ourselves. Salvation isn't managing to avoid every sin. Salvation is trusting in Christ, cooperating with the grace of God, repenting when we fall, and getting back up and following.

But no, the Apostles didn't see fit to lay the burden of the entire law on the gentile Christians. And we know the Holy Spirit led them in the establishing of the faith, so I think we can trust in their instructions to the early Church.

God be with you.

 

[Basil the Great]

I gave up on pork 30 years ago, as it did not agree with me very much, plus the experts say that turkey, chicken and fish make for a more healthy diet than beef or pork. It took another 15 years, but I finally gave up on beef as well. However, my parents and my sister still like bacon. So it is an individual decision. I certainly would not worry about it from a religious perspective, unless you wanted to become an Orthodox Jew that is.

 

[AmberB]

Thank you all. I feel better. I ate and I had anxiety, but I did my best to ignore it. I stayed away from the pork foods they had, but I had anxiety because I know pork (enzymes, lard, etc.) can be in other foods. However, I was feeling fine about it in general, it was just my anxiety and OCD that was nagging me. At least I hope it was that. My OCD is telling me I did wrong and I keep having bad thoughts, but I'm ignoring it best I can. I just worry that it's actually God and I'm ignoring God.

I don't mind abstaining from pork tbh. It's just all the food that has enzymes and stuff. It seems kind of silly to stay away from that since the amount of pork is so small... but if it really IS bad, then of course I would have to. I just am feeling better about it not being bad. I hope that I'm right.

I want to hope that if I'm wrong, God will help me to see the error of my ways, but then I feel like if I am wrong I should have already done that on my own and the fact that I ate tonight would be like mocking Him or something. I mean, I don't really feel like I've mocked Him or anything, I'm just saying. I keep telling myself to just wait and see how I feel later (you know, once the anxiety passes and stuff) but I even feel like THAT'S wrong because I worry that I'm being too carefree.
My problem is that I can't be lax about anything. I'm panicky about everything. Usually I'm panicky about silly things, but this is a legit question and could be a actual problem, so it worries me more.

But at the same time... I feel okay about it. So I'm like??

I get the feeling that it will pass. It usually does when I panic. Of course, that worries me because if it passes it could also just mean that I'm being a butt hole and not caring. :/

I can barely imagine God sending me to hell because I ate Thanksgiving dinner, but I also can't help but picture myself standing in front of Him on judgment day and Him saying something like, "Why did you do it when you weren't sure if it was okay?" Or "You were wrong about it."
And then me being cast into hell.

 

[Christie insb]

Thank you all. I feel better. I ate and I had anxiety, but I did my best to ignore it. I stayed away from the pork foods they had, but I had anxiety because I know pork (enzymes, lard, etc.) can be in other foods. However, I was feeling fine about it in general, it was just my anxiety and OCD that was nagging me. At least I hope it was that. My OCD is telling me I did wrong and I keep having bad thoughts, but I'm ignoring it best I can. I just worry that it's actually God and I'm ignoring God.

I don't mind abstaining from pork tbh. It's just all the food that has enzymes and stuff. It seems kind of silly to stay away from that since the amount of pork is so small... but if it really IS bad, then of course I would have to. I just am feeling better about it not being bad. I hope that I'm right.

I want to hope that if I'm wrong, God will help me to see the error of my ways, but then I feel like if I am wrong I should have already done that on my own and the fact that I ate tonight would be like mocking Him or something. I mean, I don't really feel like I've mocked Him or anything, I'm just saying. I keep telling myself to just wait and see how I feel later (you know, once the anxiety passes and stuff) but I even feel like THAT'S wrong because I worry that I'm being too carefree.
My problem is that I can't be lax about anything. I'm panicky about everything. Usually I'm panicky about silly things, but this is a legit question and could be a actual problem, so it worries me more.....

I get the feeling that it will pass. It usually does when I panic. Of course, that worries me because if it passes it could also just mean that I'm being a butt hole and not caring. :/

I can barely imagine God sending me to hell because I ate Thanksgiving dinner, but I also can't help but picture myself standing in front of Him on judgment day and Him saying something like, "Why did you do it when you weren't sure if it was okay?" Or "You were wrong about it."
And then me being cast into hell.

This is not a legitimate question. It is your OCD talking to you. OCD ideas need to be ignored, not seen as the voice of God. The doubt and feeling you will be blamed for things you don't know - - how does that feel to you? That's the OCD voice. You can recognize and ignore it in the future.