Sugarcoated: Finding Sweet Release From CravingsSample

The enemy thrives on tempting our minds. We all have had sinful thoughts, whether we want to admit it or not. The battle lies in our strength not to act upon them. Perhaps you’re thinking like Paul, “I know what’s right and what’s wrong. Yet somehow, I get tempted, cave in, and then I’m back at square one. I feel sick with shame that I don’t have any more self-control than this.”

I’ve been there, done that, and own the T-shirt. If you own that shirt too, then you’re among friends. It’s a constant struggle for anyone who inhales air on this good green earth. We are all trying, sometimes frantically, to resist that which tempts us. We crave a sweet fix, only to find it’s not so sweet and comes close to decaying our sanity.

Deep down, we all yearn to develop into stronger women of faith. The struggle is between the temptation to be temporarily satisfied and the temptation to be an obedient child of God. Sheesh, the choice seems like a no-brainer. But it’s not that easy, is it?

As sisters in Christ determined to get healthy, please know this: Satan is aware of your plans and will be determined more than ever to tempt you and pull you away from God. Don’t give in! But if you do give in, understand that God is still with you and loves you.

Shame is one of the enemy’s favorite ways to keep you down on the floor, feeling absolutely worthless. It’s been around since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and experienced shame for the first time.

After realizing their transgression, they immediately felt self-conscious of their nakedness and tried to remove their shame by covering themselves with fig leaves. By hiding themselves, Adam and Eve assumed they were no longer able to receive God’s love, grace, and mercy. Their faith in God had changed to fear.

So often we forget one very important truth: If we humbly ask, God is willing to give us His grace freely and abundantly. Because God sent His Son to die for our sins, we are forgiven. Over and over, we can go to Him.