You probably have never thought about this much, but why does the word diet start with die? Most often, diet means depriving yourself of something, generally something you like real well, so it does fit. However, the term diet is supposed to mean what you ordinarily eat. At least, that is what I was told in 8th grade. I see a parallel with following Christ. I also hear a faint moaning from the peanut gallery.

Removing something from your normal life that you like, that could very well be used to described repenting. I doubt anyone could deny having a “favorite” sin that is hard to break. Years ago, I stopped drinking soft drinks. I have not had a single sip of soda since November 2003. I still remember the taste, and still ponder drinking one when I see it sitting nearby. However, those feelings soon pass, and I move on. I don’t think I have a problem there. Chocolate and ice cream are different. They are much harder to pass up. If they are in the house, I will usually end up losing any fight to not eat them. Sin is the same way. I don’t have any desire to go steal a large sum of money. I know that it is flat out wrong, and I can get back to whatever I was doing. When it comes to choosing to do something productive instead of something that wastes time, the choice is harder. The time waster is something I find fun. The productive activity might be more fun than I want to admit, but wasting time wins out too often.

When we go on a sin diet, the part that is wanting to do the sinning must die. The offender has to be removed from making decisions. We are to be a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and the old has to leave to make room for the new.

Following that, this change must be permanent. Going back to the soda thing, I will often go days or weeks with no desire to have a soft drink. That is not something I will go back to. But each time chocolate is near, I must face that fight. I must resist it continuously because it is still something I struggle with. My every day diet should consist of feeding on God’s word. That is where I will find what I need to resist temptations.

Diet is not a word people like to through around, it brings sadness to some, irritation to others. Though I should spend some time on my physical diet, my spiritual diet must not be ignored. That is true for all of us, whether rail-thin or well-rounded.