10 Bible Verses About Eating for Nourishment and Not Escapism
It’s a blustery winter evening, and I peruse the kitchen with an insatiable appetite. I want to stop comfort eating and find my comfort in God, but when I’m honest about it, sugar is more palpable at the end of a long day. In a quiet moment of victory, I take a deep breath, turn from the kitchen, and find my Bible in search of Bible verses about eating for nourishment and not escapism.
Today, I’ll share the Scriptures I uncovered. Then, we’ll have an honest conversation about eating for nourishment and enjoyment. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find freedom in this area.
10 Bible Verses About Eating for Nourishment and Enjoyment
God designed food to fuel our bodies. He wants us to enjoy food, but many of us feel enslaved by it. We eat too much, or we eat too little, often stuck in the cycle of resenting our bodies and feeling intense shame.
Let’s see what God’s Word says about food.
Bible Verses About Eating
1. 1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Glorifying God through food includes enjoying it but not overdoing it. It also includes avoiding depravation. Our bodies need food for fuel.
Ask God to show you how to eat in a way that glorifies him. Talk to him throughout the day as you make decisions regarding food. He will prompt you and direct you. This sounds simple, but if we will listen, it works!
2. 1 Timothy 4:3-5
Who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
All food can be used for good. Eating in moderation, with gratitude, can help us align our hearts with God’s heart regarding food.
Imagine how different the experience of eating might be if we ate slowly and deliberately, thanking God as we enjoyed the food he provides for us.
3. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
The Spirit of the Living God dwells within you. Aim to honor him with your choices, caring for your body as you would care for the body of a precious loved one. We’ll discuss this in greater depth below.
4. Proverbs 25:27
It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God has given us each a full measure of self-control. We already have victory over destructive patterns. It is up to us to step into the victory that was already attained at the cross.
Do you feel enslaved by food? Jesus has already given you victory in this battle. Ask him to guide you as you step into the victory that has already been attained.
5. Deuteronomy 8:3
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
When I left the kitchen to read the Word, I realized something profound: God’s Word was nourishing me and filling the void in my soul, a reminder that we hunger for more than temporal food.
6. 1 Corinthians 6:12
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
For some of us, food seems to have a grip on us. We can declare this truth when the grip feels suffocating. Food is not our Master; Jesus is our Master. He equips us to overcome temptation.
7. 1 Corinthians 9:27
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Eating with self-control requires discipline. God equips us with this discipline. We can trust him to give us all we need to stand up under temptation.
8. 1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
God always provides a way out of temptation. The next time you feel tempted to make an unhealthy decision with food, ask God to show you the way out. Follow wherever he leads.
9. Psalm 107:9
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
God wants to be our source of satisfaction. Ask him how to become more satisfied in him so that you are less likely to turn to food for escapism or comfort.
10. Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ask God to renew your mind regarding food. Nothing is too hard for him. He can help you see food as a gift, not a burden or a source of escape.
Apply These Bible Verses About Eating to Your Life
God wants to lead you to freedom. Let’s look at some practical ways to lean into God’s grace and let him work in our lives to bring us the freedom we cannot find through willpower alone.
1. Begin by asking Jesus to help heal your relationship with food.
Willpower can be helpful; however, willpower doesn’t hold the power to set us free.
Jesus holds the power to set us free.
Instead of asking for more willpower, ask Jesus to align your heart with his heart regarding food. Ask him to help you develop a relationship in which food is enjoyable but not all-consuming. Ask him to set you free from the power of overindulgence as well as deprivation.
Jesus wants food to be a gift to fuel your body—and also a gift to enjoy! He doesn’t want you to be controlled or bound by this good gift.
2. Ask Jesus to change the way you see your body.
For most of us, food and body image are closely linked. Throughout the past few years, God has been renewing my mind by helping me see myself the way I see my children.
I’ve been learning to treat myself the way I would treat my kids. I imagine their sweet faces and cherished bodies.
When critical thoughts about myself arise, I remind myself to be tender with myself in the same way I’m tender with my kids. I forgive myself for making mistakes and aim to care for my body in the same way I care for their little bodies.
This mindset helps me resist some of the following behaviors: It keeps me from shoving food into my mouth to fill an emotional void; I’m far less critical when I look in the mirror; I’m willing to invest in vitamins and healthy food for the good of my body; I exercise for the well-being of my body and not primarily to burn calories or chase a cultural image.
Try embracing this mindset for yourself. Imagine your most precious loved one when self-critical thoughts arise. Remind yourself to be loving and caring with your body in the same way you love and care for your loved one.
Furthermore, ask yourself, Would I shove junk food into my kids’ mouths to help them escape their emotions? Would I deprive them of meals to make up for cookies and ice cream cones?
Remind yourself to treat your body as you would treat your loved ones.
God can use this mindset to transform your life. Most of all, he will align your heart with his heart. You are even more precious to him than your most precious loved one is to you.
Would I shove junk food into my kids' mouths to help them escape their emotions? Would I deprive them of meals to make up for cookies and ice cream cones? #comforteating Share on X
3. Change your focus.
Have you ever noticed that when you give up a certain food or activity, that precise food or activity seems to consume your thoughts?
A deprivation mindset will make it harder to lose weight or step into new patterns of healthy eating. Instead of fasting from certain foods or jumping into the latest diet craze, fast from obsessing over food or body image. Shift your focus.
When I’m stuck in a bad place with food, it’s like the throne of my heart is occupied by two entities: thoughts about food and thoughts about my body. I turn to food for comfort and feel guilty about it. I resent what the food will do to my body, and I might even deprive myself for a few days—feeling accomplished when I turn to the scale and see the number drop.
It’s an ugly cycle, fueled by self-focus. In these times, I need to take myself off the throne of my life (and my focus) and fix my gaze on Christ, who is truly on the throne.
When thoughts about comfort eating, depriving yourself, or feeling fat come to your mind, cast down the thoughts. Turn your eyes to the throne of God and ask for his eyes to see the needs of those around you. Don’t escape into food. Instead, sit on the floor and play with your kids, turn off the TV and talk to your husband, or pick up the phone and call a friend.
This shift has led to my biggest personal breakthrough in learning how to stop comfort eating. When I refuse to obsess over food, feel guilty about food, or crave food, I am surprisingly less tempted to escape into it.
4. Stick with it over time.
Research suggests it takes a little over two months to start a new habit.
For two months, fast from thinking about yourself, aim to eat healthily and reasonably, and keep asking Jesus for help in directing your thoughts away from yourself and toward him. Extend grace to yourself when you fail and begin again the next day. Meditate on these Bible verses about eating and ask God to align your heart with his heart. He wants to set you free.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Calling All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. 
