Do you eat too much? Do you find it hard to stop after one or two drinks? Overindulging can have serious consequences, from health problems to jail time, and more.
Overindulgence’s family of behaviors includes gluttony, drunkenness, drug abuse, shopaholism, and overuse of media. These can be replaced with moderation.
Discover how to overcome overindulgence in its various forms through time-tested insights that really work!
Self-Test
Are You Overindulgent?
The following self-evaluation quiz will help you determine whether you have a tendency toward overindulgence.
- Do you feel guilty over your use of any substance or other source of pleasure?
- Have family members or close friends warned you that they think something is wrong?
- Do you lie to cover up how much food or drink you obtain?
- Do you use controlled substances in a way not prescribed by a doctor?
- Do you often eat, drink, or engage in an activity more than you had planned?
- Do you obsessively think about a certain substance or behavior?
- Do you vomit after eating or use laxatives to keep your weight down?
- Do you spend more time staring at a cinema, TV, or computer screen than you spend looking into the faces of the important people in your life?
Overindulgence: Enough is Not Enough
There are many ways people may let their appetites get out of control. A mother might spend far more time working out at the gym than she needs to keep in shape, neglecting her family responsibilities in the process. A young person might love the adrenaline rush from thrill-seeking activities, such as extreme skiing and class-5 river rafting, to the point that he risks his life. And what about caffeine? Or cigarettes? (read more)
Five Steps to Overcome Overindulgence
Are you struggling with some form of overindulgence? We have outlined a five-step process to help you change and heal in this area of your life. Take all the time you need with each of the steps included in this process. (read more)
Finding Freedom – A True Story
King Solomon, who is described in the Bible as the wisest and richest of men, wrote of his efforts to taste of everything life has to offer. He sampled wisdom, mirth and pleasure, wine and folly; he built houses, vineyards, orchards, gardens.
He had servants and maidens, silver and gold. The Book of Ecclesiastes contains twelve chapters describing his quest. He concluded: “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl. 2:11). (read more)
Related Verses
I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done, And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:4-11, NKJV)
For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty. (Proverbs 23:21, NASB95)
Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18, NLT2)
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NLT2)
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness. (2 Peter 1:5-6, NIV)