‘Sugar has become a crutch’

In this week’s War Cry, Omolara Olusola shares why she’s giving up sugar for Lent.

Lent is the time of year when Christians prepare themselves for Easter. It is also the 40-day period when some people decide to give something up to help them reflect on what is important and possibly make changes to their lives. So, since Lent began on Wednesday (22 February), I have given up processed sugar for 40 days.

To say that I have a sweet tooth is an understatement. I have a sugar obsession. Whether it is the pull of fresh juice when I first wake up or the midday promise of some Sour Skittles to get me through the afternoon slump, sugar has become a ‘god’ of some sort in my life.

By that, I mean I have come to rely on it in a way. I turn to something sweet whenever I am bored or anxious or stressed as well as when I’m happy. Sugar has become a comfort and a crutch for me. Unfortunately, the relationship between sugar and me has become unhealthy, and it must come to an end.

I’m aware of the physical benefits of reducing my sugar intake: weight loss, better skin, better blood sugar levels and no brain fog. However, I am more interested in the emotional and spiritual opportunities that this fast will bring.

I hope it will allow me to pause and ground myself in the reality that I am known and loved by God. I hope it will offer me a way to exercise my trust in God. I realise that when I am upset and I reach for sugar, I rob myself of an opportunity to connect with God, an opportunity to go deeper and experience a level of intimacy that can’t truly be replaced by a short-term sugar high. I hope that giving up sugar will encourage me to turn to the ultimate source of comfort.

So, as I put the Skittles down, I am expecting to experience a different kind of sweetness in my soul.