And I Thought There Was No Good
And I Thought There Was No Good
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
(Romans 8:28)
Thought for the Day: Whether your issues are the same as mine or not, all of us Jesus girls have struggles of some kind. We all fall short in some manner.
If you would have told me ten years ago that God could bring good out of my weight issues and food struggles, I would have seriously doubted you. And then, when you weren’t looking, I would have rolled my eyes. A soul rubbed raw from years of trying and failing does not want to hear, “Eventually, good will come from this.”
What I wanted was something to magically fix my issues. I wanted to be naturally thin like my sister. I wanted to feel “not fat.” I would have cared less about some elusive, eventual good. My jeans didn’t fit. Even my sweatpants didn’t fit. I felt horrible. I couldn’t stay committed to a healthy eating plan to save my life. And I saw no evidence of hope on the horizon.
Maybe you’ve been there with your food issues and weight struggles. Maybe you’re there right now. May I be a ray of hope to you today? Whether your issues are the same as mine or not, all of us Jesus girls have struggles of some kind. We all fall short in some manner. And we all need to know more about this “good” mentioned in Romans 8:28.
Not long ago I received a letter that confirmed this truth. The writer’s honest confession was like heaven’s salve, soothing my soul and spreading “this working of good.” Somehow God took my simple words in Made to Crave, scrawled from deep places I thought were no good, and brought this good from it:
I just want to say thank you. I’ve had a severe eating disorder since 1978. I became a Christian in 2002, but never could fully surrender my eating disorder to the Lord. Through your book, the Holy Spirit is empowering me as I never thought possible. I’ve had seven days of no binging or purging. This may not seem like a high number to you, but after thirty-three years with this addiction, this is amazing. Praise God!
May this be a glimpse of hope in the midst of whatever struggle is trying to bring you down today. It is a picture of the reality that God’s Word is true — always true. God does work for the good, in all things, every single thing—even our most raw and seemingly impossible things. But we must “know” it even when we don’t feel it, and let God have His way.
And we know it, even if we don’t feel it, that in all things — even the ones I can’t fathom being used for good — God works for the good. He works for the good. My job is to walk with Him day by day. His job is to work the good.
Dear Lord, help me to look for the good in my situation today. I pray that as I look at my eating struggles, I will glimpse the good You are able to bring from it. I desire healing and hope for my road ahead. Please be with me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
From the book
