Is Your God Your Belly?

Philippians 3:18-19
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”

There’s something about the phrase, “whose God is their belly… who mind earthly things,” that stops me in my tracks and makes me ask…

Have you made your belly your God? Do you measure God based on the earthly things he can satisfy you with? 

It brings to mind an Old Testament story that moves me to reverent fear of our God every time I read it. The story is found in Numbers 11 and Psalm 78 where it gives an account of the time the Israelites provoked God to anger by grumbling about the manna (angelic food) He provided, longing instead for the foods they once enjoyed in Egypt. 

Their cravings became so consuming that they lost control of their words and actions and disrespected God in the process. As a result,  God allowed many of them to die from a great plague. 

Listen to their complaint to Moses:

“And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.” (Numbers 11:4-6)

Manna was the heavenly grain God graciously provided during their wilderness journey to the promised land. It is food that, according to the Bible,  the angels enjoy in heaven, so it would have been a privilege for humans to enjoy on earth. It is described as having tasted like “fresh oil,” or like wafers made with honey. 

Yet, despite its divine origin, and sweet savory taste, many of the Israelites concluded that Manna paled in comparison to the rich, savory foods they once knew in Egypt while they were in bondage. 

Isn’t that strange? Their cravings grew so powerful that it overshadowed the memories of the misery they endured in slavery. If we could glimpse the harsh yoke Pharaoh laid upon them, we’d be stunned that they’d long to return to that place of misery all because of the food that they remembered eating. 

It makes me wonder… did they use food as a coping mechanism during their bondage? Did it become their comforter, overshadowing God’s presence? Do we do this today with food? Are we so easily soothed by food when life is stressful that we are not able to see God giving us an open door to deliver ourselves from such circumstances? (My dietitian brain could keep going with this topic but we will save that for another blog post. For now, let’s get back on track)

Their desire for food became so consuming that it replaced their reverence for God. We see this even more clearly in the account of this story in the book of Psalms:

“And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people?
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.” (Psalm 78:17-22)

Do you hear the disrespect in the tone of that verse? They mocked God, by defining His glory and power based on His ability to satiate their earthly desire. 

That’s why it says, “Because they believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation.” Their demand went beyond hunger. They were willing to base their belief and adoration of God based on their own satisfaction, diminishing all the mighty acts He had done prior. 

To them, their belly being filled was more impressive than God parting the Red Sea. 

Only after they got what they wanted would God have been worthy of their  worship and reverence in their mind.” 

But if  God is only God to you when he gives you what you want, then you have then elevated that thing above God. And nothing above God can stand. 

As a dietitian, I'm tempted to use this story to draw parallels to the way food is idolized today and maybe I will in a later post. But this Biblical account speaks to something deeper than physical cravings.

What do you desire most right now?

Is it a husband, a home, financial stability, influence, a baby? What is that one thing you continually plead with God for?

In my work as a fertility dietitian, I know that for many women, it’s a child. Some long for a child so intensely that it becomes an unsatiated hunger, a desire so deep that they measure God’s goodness by it.

Without realizing it, their hearts may be saying, “When God gives me a child, then I’ll see His goodness. When my barren womb is filled, then I’ll acknowledge His power.” 

Is this you? Have you unconsciously tied God’s goodness, His power, or even His reality to an unmet desire?

If so, then you’ve made your belly your god.

How do we break free from this mindset? The answer is in the closing words of Philippians 3:19: “who mind earthly things.”

It is earthly-mindedness that enslaves us to our appetites. Even good desires, like marriage, children, or success, can become idols if they overshadow our reverence for God when we do not have them.

We must not be conformed to this world, we must die to our flesh daily to the point that we are content even in the seasons of lacking what we hope to have one day.

Every time our belly growls with the hunger pains of desire, we must put our flesh in subjection by reminding it that God is all that matters. God is enough. He is our portion, our satisfaction, our joy.

And here’s the irony: how we handle fulfilled desires is the test of whether we’ve truly mastered our appetites.

If we follow the Israelites’ story in Numbers 11 and Psalm 78  to the end, we see that God eventually gave them what they craved. He rained down meat in abundance, yet, they hoarded it with greed and consumed it with lust,and not once do we see in either Biblical account that they returned to thank God. 

While they were still eating, God struck them with a plague, and many died in their gluttony.

In that moment they fulfilled the fullness of Philippians 3:19 they become a people “Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19)

Would that be you? If God granted your deepest desire, a husband, a baby,  wealth, fame, or success, what would your response be?

Would it lead to pride, ingratitude, or idolatry? Would you forget the One who gave it to you? Would you hoard all your wealth or influence? Would you give that thing back to God?

Asking ourselves this question is a simple heart check we can do to see just how high we have lifted a certain desire in our hearts. 

If your answer is “yes,” then you have lifted that desire above God and you need to realign those priorities by setting your mind on things above and not on things of this earth. 

We do this through prayer, fasting, worship, and gratitude even during seasons where we are hungry for a certain desire.

This is how we keep our eyes on Christ. The second we look away we sink under the waves of our desires.

Never let your belly become your god.

I pray this blessed you

With love,Ciara