I love to eat. This really isn't a surprise to anyone who has spent in-depth time with me. I can get ear-deep in a plate of meatloaf & mashed potatoes quicker than most people. I love to eat different foods and have a hard time pushing away from the table even if I really am full. When someone asks me what my favorite food is I usually respond with "free buffet." The negative impact of this style of eating is only magnified when I am not exercising in some way. Obviously, this type of behavior can come with a multitude of health problems and complications and requires some discipline to overcome.
I've seen too many people fall into the same pattern in their spiritual life. They want more Bible studies, devotionals, worship services, and prayer meetings, but won't volunteer in the church or community. Their mantra becomes, "I just need to be fed right now." While I firmly believe in the need to spend quiet time with God in meditation and prayer, that doesn't negate the calling on the Church to be active. When we sit and continually absorb and refuse to step up due to misguided and selfish notions of what is right, we deny God's work in our lives and the need for us to utilize what we experience for the betterment of the Kingdom.
In a physical sense, ingesting large amounts of calories and not exercising will certainly lead to obesity. From a spiritual perspective, I don't believe that you can experience God through scripture, prayer, and teaching for purely selfish purposes and grow. Choosing to ignore God's command to be active won't lead to spiritual obesity, but will instead create a spiritually emaciated person who is too weak to care for themselves or make a godly impact on anyone else.
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