If You’re Tired of Being Triggered, It’s Time to Stop Looking Over Your Shoulder — A Study in Exodus

Ever feel like no matter how far you’ve come in your food freedom journey, you’re still glancing back over your shoulder waiting for the other shoe to drop? Like maybe one trigger will send you spiraling right back into old patterns of calorie counting, over-exercising, or obsessing over the scale? 🙋‍♀️ Been there.

If that’s you, friend, I want to invite you into a fresh perspective straight out of Exodus. Yep, the same Exodus with the parted seas, plagues, and pillar of fire. Because here’s the thing: the Israelites’ story isn’t just about ancient history. It’s about us — you and me — and the daily tug-of-war between moving forward into freedom or turning back to what feels comfortable (even when it’s keeping us enslaved).

So grab your coffee (or let’s be real, reheat it for the third time today), because we’re diving deep into part one of a two-part series that will help you stop looking back and start walking boldly into the healing God has for you. 🙌

Freedom Begins With a Decisive Break From the Old Life

Picture this: the Israelites have just been set free after generations of slavery. They’ve seen the plagues, they’ve packed up, and they’re finally out of Egypt. 🎉 But what happens when Pharaoh’s army starts chasing them down? Cue the panic attack.

Exodus 14:12 tells us they cried out, “It would’ve been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” In other words, “Maybe slavery wasn’t so bad after all…” 🤦‍♀️

Sound familiar? Even after we’ve experienced freedom from diet culture or food obsession, it can feel easier to run back to the “comfort” of old habits:

• Logging every calorie 🍎
• Punishing yourself with extra workouts 🏃‍♀️
• Obsessing over the number on the scale ⚖️

Why? Because at least it feels predictable. But here’s the truth: God hasn’t called you to cope. He’s called you to freedom.

👉 Action Step: Journal one old habit you keep wanting to run back to. Then write out a prayer of surrender, asking God to help you decisively break from it.

You’re Being Invited to Enter a Miracle

Moses tells the people: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord.” (Ex. 14:13) Sounds reassuring, right? But then comes verse 15: “Tell the people of Israel to go forward.”

Wait, what? Be still… but also move? 🤔

Here’s the catch: their miracle required action. The Israelites had to step into the parted Red Sea and walk for hours between two massive walls of water with no guarantee of what was ahead. Talk about a trust exercise!

The same is true for you. Saying “yes” to healing feels scary. You won’t see the entire path. But that doesn’t mean a miracle isn’t in motion. God does the parting — you still have to do the walking.

👉 Action Step: When you feel paralyzed by fear of the unknown, repeat this: “God parts seas, I just have to walk.” Write it on a sticky note, put it on your mirror, or set it as your phone background.

Surrender Means Trusting the God Who Shuts the Door Behind You

Once the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, God didn’t just hold off the Egyptians. He closed the waters over them. Gone. Finished. 👋

Why? Two reasons:

1. Judgment: Centuries of oppression had to be dealt with.
2. Protection: So the Israelites wouldn’t spend their lives looking over their shoulders, fearing their oppressors would return.

Friend, this matters for you too. If God has set you free, He doesn’t want you living in fear of relapse. Galatians 5:1 reminds us: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

Your healing isn’t halfway. It’s not built on your performance — it’s built on His strength.

👉 Action Step: When you feel triggered, pause and pray: “Lord, thank You that I don’t have to look over my shoulder. You’ve already shut the door on my past.”

You Can’t Keep a Foot in Egypt and Still Step Into Healing

Tough love time. 🚨 You can’t keep one foot in your old patterns while asking God for freedom. The Israelites were tempted to go back, but Jesus doesn’t invite us into partial obedience. He calls us to full transformation.

Maybe for you, “keeping a foot in Egypt” looks like:

• Avoiding certain foods because they’re “fear foods”
• Weighing or measuring every bite
• Exercising only to “earn” your next meal

But here’s the deal: you can’t make peace with sin or disordered behaviors and expect to walk fully in freedom. You’ve got to choose: stay stuck in Egypt or step into the miracle.

👉 Action Step: Identify one behavior you’ve been trying to keep peace with. Write it down, pray over it, and commit to laying it down before God.

Why This Matters for Your Food Freedom Journey

You may not be facing Pharaoh’s army, but the battle is just as real. Old habits, food rules, and body image lies chase you down. And sometimes it feels safer to turn back. But you’ve been invited into something better — a miracle of healing, freedom, and transformation through Christ.

Here’s the recap:

1. Freedom requires a decisive break from the old.
2. Miracles require your action — even when the path looks scary.
3. Surrender means trusting God to close the door on your past.
4. You can’t keep a foot in Egypt and still step into healing.

Ready to Step Into Freedom?

If this message resonated with you, I want you to know two things:

1. You are not alone. I’ve walked this road too, and so have countless other women.
2. You don’t have to figure it out by yourself. God is already parting the sea — you just need the courage to walk.

✨ Next Steps for You:

• Subscribe to the Faith-Filled Food Freedom Podcast so you don’t miss part two of this mini-series where we’ll talk about control and comfort (oooh yes, we’re going there 💥).
• Join the free Food Freedom and Body Support for Christian Women for daily encouragement and practical tips.
• Download my free resource on breaking free from food triggers.

Friend, you’ve been invited into a miracle. Don’t let fear keep you in Egypt. Step forward, even if it feels scary — because the God who parts seas will walk with you every step of the way. 💛

With joy & freedom,
Brittany Braswell, MS, RDN, LD
Registered Dietitian & Faith-Filled Food Freedom Coach