The Enemy’s Potato Chips
How the enemy uses food as a false promise.
Ever find yourself reaching for that extra handful of chips or diving into a second bowl of pasta, thinking, This will make me feel better? Or maybe you know it won’t make you feel better, but you do it anyway?
We’ve all been there, craving comfort, thinking that one more bite will fill the hole inside. But let’s be real—that satisfaction is short-lived. And the truth is, this is one of Satan’s favorite tricks: using food that doesn’t serve us as a tool to promise us relief, comfort, and fulfillment.
He whispers lies like:
Just 1 more cookie,
What’s 1 more handful?
or
You’re already half way through this pint of ice cream anyway, you might as well finish it.
And these little “harmless” thoughts that sneak up all come with false promises. Promises that the stress and emotional eating will make you feel better (or at least numb what you’re feeling), or that they aren’t doing any harm.
And when you do act on that minor indulgence only one time, it does give you a temporary distraction, and it probably doesn’t do too much harm.
But the REAL problems show up when we continue to give in to these “harmless” thoughts over time. And those false promises are revealed in that the stress eating or over-indulgence DIDN’T make all the problems go away, and they DID cause harm. In fact, we’re left feeling emptier, and worse than when we started. And we wind up feeling so disconnected, disappointed, and ashamed in ourselves. And if you’re a Christian, you feel even further from the one who can truly fill us—Jesus.
In John 6:35, Jesus tells us, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Yet Satan tries to (sneakily) convince us that food will do the job that only God can do. Sure, comfort food might give us a temporary hit of dopamine, but it’s just that—temporary. When we turn to Jesus in our moments of craving, He fills us in ways that food never could. Our desire for peace, comfort, or rest is met in Him, not in that extra bag of chips or another slice of cake.
It’s the mindless overeating and over-indulgence where food is no longer a positive tool: we are no longer enjoying every bite, we are going for another bite before we are even done swallowing the first one. It can be harmful, and dare I say even punishing. Love is no longer in the food, and when there is no love, there is no God.
Now please understand that this is NOT me saying that food is evil.
It is FAR from it. Food is a tool.
What I am saying is that when we learn to be intentional with our food - THAT is what makes all the difference. When we eat enough for fuel and nourish our bodies, we are then using food the way God intended it. How perfectly designed! And when we get to take delight in a piece of delicious birthday cake when celebrating someone we love, that is a cherished moment we shouldn’t feel guilt over. But instead, rejoice and live in that moment! It’s the intentional choice to consume a treat, and not let it consume us.
So the next time you feel that urge to eat something you know isn’t serving you, ask yourself: What am I really craving? Is it comfort? Relief? Closure? Justice? Instead of reaching for food or drinks to fix it, take a pause. Recognize what you’re feeling and bring that craving to God. Lay it down before Him, and let Him fulfill your true need. The enemy’s promises do sound tempting, but are always empty and designed to always keep you running and wanting more. God’s promises are always faithful. And when we trust in Him, those cravings begin to fade because He’s the only one who can satisfy our soul.
