Issue 1 | 2024

STEPPING FORWARD
Taste
and See
BY KENNY MUNDS
TASTE IS SOMETHING I HAD TAKEN
for granted until recently when I lost my
ability to taste and smell.
I love food. Not all food, though. Especially
not the healthy stuff. I’d rather have
things like chili dogs, hamburgers, french
fries, onion rings, spaghetti and meatballs,
ice cream, pizza, donuts—the list goes on.
My unhealthy diet caught up with me
recently, though, and I ended up in the
emergency room, diagnosed with esophagitis
and gastritis. Before they released
me, the doctors said I had to change my
diet or else.
The new diet does not resemble any
menu I’ve ever liked, so it’s been a challenge
to consume these so-called healthy
foods, but my significant weight loss
should prove I’m sticking to it. On top of
all that, I’ve suddenly been unable to taste
or smell anything I try to eat.
My first thought when that happened
was that I had contracted COVID-19, but
when the test I took came back negative,
I started searching the internet for other
possible causes. One possibility suggested
that the settings on the CPAP machine I
use for sleep apnea might be incorrect.
That could result in a dry mouth and affect
my sense of taste and smell. (Believe
me, getting old is not fun.) That wasn’t it,
though, and I’m still searching for an answer.
Frankly, staying upbeat has been
difficult.
I will say, this malady has led me to
rediscover Psalm 34:8, which tells us to
“taste and see that the Lord is good” (NIV).
It also promises joy and blessings for those
who take refuge in Him.
I have to admit, for a while there, not
only was I not eating physical food, I was
also not consuming much spiritual food.
I just didn’t feel like it. Instead, I was isolating
myself at home, watching worthless
television, and playing with my dog.
I wasn’t praying, reading God’s Word,
gathering with friends, or giving to others.
In his daily devotion book, Grace for
the Moment, Max Lucado identifies those
four actions—praying, reading God’s
Word, gathering with friends, and giving to
others—as daily habits that help us grow
in our faith, no matter how complex or
disappointing the season. These habits
keep us close to God where we can taste
His goodness and find the comfort and
help we need.
When I finally started pushing past
my emotions and practicing those habits
again, I began rediscovering how good
God is.
His Word, the “Bread of Life,” has been
a tasty delicacy. Prayer has led me to en-
Those who seek God will
lack no good thing.
joy the fragrance of His healing presence.
Getting together with friends has again
become an enjoyable event, and giving
when needed most is a blessing that’s hard
to describe.
Now, that’s food for thought.
Have you discovered these habits? Are
you tasting the Lord and realizing His
goodness for yourself? I know it isn’t always
easy. Sometimes, we just don’t feel
like taking a bite of God’s Word. But those
are the times we need to push past our
emotions and consume everything He has
to offer.
You’ll never regret tasting God’s gifts.
Psalm 34:10 says that those who seek God
will lack no good thing.
Still, I can’t wait to enjoy a chili dog
again and smell the coffee brewing!
KENNY MUNDS takes the good news of
God’s love and forgiveness into prisons across
America. To learn more about his ministry, go to
kennymundsministry.org.
8 Issue 01 / 2024 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM