Satisfied By the Bread of Life

The Christmas season brings with it plenty of temptations: frosted sugar cookies, homemade caramels, gingerbread men, fudge, divinity, candy-coated pretzels, Chex mix, peanut brittle, sour cream twists, candy canes, mints and so much more. Because of the temptations I have cut way back on the Christmas baking and making that I used to do. And I was taught by the best: my mother. She started baking and making in November and by Christmas she had her freezer filled with box upon box of goodies - ready to create beautiful trays of goodies to give to others for their Christmas season.  The key is to keep it out of sight until you give it away.

I have a terrible sweet tooth and often crave something sweet, especially at the end of a meal. But none of the delicious goodies I crave give anything useful to my body. The sugar-high soon wears off and leaves me empty, unmotivated and without energy.

"Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day"" (John 6:35-40 NIV).

Everyday I work on building a craving for Jesus instead of sweets. I wish I could announce that I have made that transition from desiring sweets to only wanting Jesus, and that I no longer have any longing for sweets. Unfortunately, I will probably have to work on this for the rest of my life. I've been told that He is the only one who can fill the emptiness I feel inside. That emptiness often results in depression and emotional eating.

I know Jesus is my bread of life. He will never let me go hungry or thirsty as long as I believe. I do believe with all of my heart. I depend on Jesus to walk with me through whatever the day may bring. So why do I still struggle with the challenges of life? God doesn't promise us a rose garden without temptation or thorns to avoid. But He does promise that if we don't give up our struggle, there will be a reward waiting for us on the last day.