Comments on: Recovery from Spiritual Anorexia

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:14:31 +0000

I see I did miss it…sorry!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE the material. Can apply to a marriage, too, I think.

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:13:33 +0000

I love this, and it’s very helpful, but aren’t you quoting Jeff VanVonderen directly without attribution? Maybe I’ve missed it somewhere.

By: clarissa

clarissa — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:01:32 +0000

I thank God for leading me to this article at a time when I’m really struggling against spiritually exhaustion and trying to fight against it and feeling somewhat defeated. I’ve been physically anorexic in the past and can now see that is what’s going on spiritually during this season in my life. This article has given me lots to reflect on and helped me to see all of this from a different angle that is much more manageable. Thank you

By: Parrish

Parrish — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:28:06 +0000

I want to thank you for putting this out here. I was a kid who was dragged to church every time the doors were open, was pressured with Bible study and memorization at every turn, etc. Meanwhile, I was growing up in an abnormal childhood where age-appropriate chores and supervision was not applied where it should have been and yet non-age-appropriate behaviors, capabilities, and responsibilities were heaped on at whim–in other words, abusive, but perhaps not in ways others would consider. Thankfully, I was saved young, learned my stories and Bible well, and even had the privilege of witnessing His hand in my world more than once in pretty awesome, near-miraculous ways. I don’t know what would have happened to me if His hand hadn’t been there preventing me from committing suicide, killing my family, or turning to a life of drugs or crime. It’s still there, but I still have a strong resentment at what I feel like was abandonment from Him, too. My feelings of being a cosmic whipping boy, created for His grand joke worsened each passing year as the crushing, inappropriate responsibilities and crises in my life increased. Career, children, happy home with good spouse, an end to the depression, end to the torment, end to the poverty–no amount of effort and no amount of prayer made it happen. Suffering, torment, endless crisis, poverty, stress, injury–it was all mine in ever-increasing abundance. Like the baby who cries out until it’s demoralized and broken, that is me. But He didn’t do that to me, my family’s stranglehold did, my husband’s abuse did, my demoralized spirit did. Sure, I’m still bitter over what I felt like was abandonment when I prayed for relief and a better life, I still don’t understand why, but that’s not my place to understand. But this article gave me hope again to know that maybe I’ve just not been feeling that honey on my lip and it’s time to take a lick and see if it’s there. I’d like to think that in spite of it all, He still wants me and will be loving parent.

By: elaya

elaya — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:02:12 +0000

I was talking with my friend on MSN today… and the subject of dying spiritually came up. Knowing personally what dying spiritually feels like, and the struggle to bounce back, I told her that we make the choice to die spiritually. It sounds crazy but everything is available to us if we want it, but I wondered why I was dying anyway. Suddenly the idea of Spiritual Anorexia came to mind, so I googled it and found a link to this accurate article. I’ve always been strong, physically and spiritually, but in losing family members suddenly, and not being able to afford college for a while, and in a drunken attempt to commit suicide I’ve found myself being too bad, and weak, to be worthy of speaking to a Holy God. I thank God for you being willing and open to research such a necessary topic, and I also thank God for the grace to read it all. Everything I do to draw closer to Him is only possible by His Grace. Without it I wouldn’t even attempt the recovery process. I apologize for all of the grammatical errors, I just wanted to make sure I got everything down right away. God Bless Anyone Recovering, and God Bless You for being a Willing Vessel.