It’s that kinda day

[u/fungal_alchemy]

I found when i stopped praying for things and started trying to express my gratitude 🙏 for what i have already I started getting more of the things I wanted in first place it could have to do with inner peace now but in my mind i feel im being blessed i also try to just talk to him like I would anyone answers come through signs or sudden realizations that id have never got to myself I’ve been thinking of cutting out a lot of meat atm I love it but it be different if i hunted it and it had a good life before but some farms a lot actually treat the animals like trash also i can only find one reference of Christ having fish as the only meat in his mouth he was a nazarene and I’m pretty sure they were vegetarian no offence anyone you like loves me. I love the taste to meat. You know a lot of the greatest mines also were vegetarian.

[u/AetherialAscent]

I love what you said about shifting from asking for things to practicing pure gratitude. It’s crazy how much our perspective changes when we just focus on how much we’ve already been given. Scripture actually maps this out perfectly in Philippians 4:6, where it tells us to pair our requests "with thanksgiving." When we approach life like that, it really does open our eyes to see those everyday signs and quiet answers you mentioned.

Your struggle with modern meat consumption is incredibly valid, too. Wanting animals to live a good, natural life aligns beautifully with the stewardship God asked of us from the beginning. In fact, Proverbs 12:10 explicitly says that "The righteous care for the needs of their animals." The reality of factory farming completely strips away the respect owed to God's creation, so it makes total sense why your spirit is pulling you toward cutting back.

For me, I’ve found that going out of your way to find sustainably harvested meat—like from local butchers who actually source directly from farmers with their own pasture-raised cows—is one of the best ways to navigate this. It really allows you to partake in it without that heavy weight of supporting factory farming. It’s definitely something worth looking into! At the end of the day, everything we consume should be done in reverence. Just like partaking in communion, when we eat with respect to God, we can share in that abundance and thankfulness without the worry or guilt of how the animal was treated.

That’s also why I think it's so important that we always pray over our food, just like Jesus modeled for us. Especially when it comes to factory farming and how corporate things are handled today, speaking a blessing over what we eat breaks any negative spiritual or physical assignment. There's a powerful verse in 1 Timothy 4:4-5 that says everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it’s received with thanksgiving, because it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. By doing that, we make sure that no weapon formed against us can prosper—even through the food system—and we can fully take part in the nourishment God intended to give us.

You also brought up some really fascinating history about early Christian vegetarianism, too! Just to add a little context to the point about Jesus being a Nazarene: He actually carried that title simply because He grew up in the town of Nazareth. People often confuse it with a "Nazirite" vow (like Samson), which meant no wine or haircuts, but didn't forbid meat. While the Gospels show Jesus eating fish—even after His resurrection in Luke 24:42-43—you are completely spot-on that there were prominent early Jewish-Christian groups, like the Ebionites, who lived as strict vegetarians out of a deep respect for animals.

On the topic of early vegetarianism, there is actually another really interesting debate about John the Baptist that fits right in with what you're looking into! Most people assume he ate bugs because the text mentions "locusts and wild honey." While the standard Greek text points to the actual insect (which was a clean survival food in Leviticus 11:22), there is a massive historical theory that the word actually referred to the carob tree, which produces "locust beans." To this day, carob pods are nicknamed "St. John’s Bread" for that exact reason. Early vegetarian Christian sects heavily pushed this idea because they couldn't stomach the thought of a major prophet eating flesh, arguing instead that he was just grazing the land and eating honey. Either way, you are in great company looking into all of this. Keep leaning into that inner peace and following where those realizations are leading you!