How the Enemy Twists Health & Wellness for Christian Women
Screwtape Strategy Part 2: Food
Food is a gift from God—meant to nourish, sustain, and even bring joy.
But in today’s world, it’s become a source of stress, shame, and confusion for so many women. As believers, we’re not immune to these struggles. In fact, the enemy is quite skilled at twisting even the good things God created, especially when it comes to our relationship with food.
What if we could pull back the curtain and see his strategy?
If The Screwtape Letters were written about health and wellness—specifically about food—for Christian women in 2025, it might go something like this:
My Dear Wormwood,
I must say, your patient’s interest in health and wellness is playing right into our hands. But if you are to truly succeed in keeping her from the Enemy’s design, you must pay close attention to her relationship with food and drink.
You see, the Enemy gave her food as a gift—to nourish, to bring joy, to be received with gratitude. We must never let her see it that way. Instead, push her toward one of two extremes: let her either turn food into an idol or a burden.
If she is weary, whisper that food is her comfort, her refuge. Let her believe that the warmth of sugar, the satisfaction of indulgence, or the distraction of eating can soothe her soul. Convince her that running to the pantry will quiet the ache in her heart, rather than running to the Enemy Himself. Let her eat not out of nourishment, but out of numbness. Oh, and when she does? Drown her in guilt. Make sure she feels ashamed, unworthy, and powerless to change—so that she will keep returning to the very thing that enslaves her.
If she resists that trap, steer her toward another. Tell her that true holiness is found in restriction. Let her believe that the Enemy’s good gifts—warm bread, ripe fruit, a meal shared in fellowship—are dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Make her see eating as a test of willpower rather than a moment of thanksgiving. Let her pride herself on her self-denial, even in things the Enemy Himself has called good. The more she fears food, the less she will enjoy the abundance He intended.
Oh, and with drink—this is a most delightful avenue of destruction! If she enjoys wine, push her toward excess, justifying it in the name of “relaxation” or “celebration.” Let her drink not in moderation but in escapism, making her numb to both joy and conviction. If she avoids alcohol, let her look down on those who do not—stirring in her a quiet pride, a sense of superiority masked as righteousness.
Above all, keep her from gratitude. Do not let her pause to give thanks before a meal, lest she remember the One who provides it. If she ever begins to see food and drink as a reflection of the Enemy’s kindness, you have lost her. Instead, let her believe that food is hers to control, hers to use as she pleases, whether for indulgence or for punishment. Let her believe it is everything or it is nothing—so long as she never sees it as a gift.
Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape
P.S. read Screwtape Strategy Part 1 here.
Food was never meant to be our master—or our measure of worth. The enemy loves to distort it, using guilt, extremes, or distraction to pull us away from peace and purpose. But as daughters of God, we are invited into something better: freedom, wisdom, and grace.
When we learn to see food through the lens of stewardship and gratitude—not control or shame—we reclaim what was meant for our good.
Let’s not let the enemy win in this area. Let’s eat, nourish, and live in a way that glorifies God. Come find me on instagram for new weekly recipes.
If you need more help, I’d love to chat about one-on-one nutrition coaching.
Or let me send you my weekly family-friendly meal plan. It includes a grocery list, simple recipes, and full macros for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and even desserts—all created to be enjoyed to the glory of God.
Let’s walk in freedom and steward our health well—together.
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