Dealing with the Deceiver

"When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

John 8:44

Today I received a phone call asking if I had any books on eating disorders that I could lend to a counselor and a family seeking help. Their young daughter, (I think she was around 13), is in the midst of an eating disorder, and they are seeking some insight on what is happening, and why her thinking is so irrational. Whenever I receive a phone call, or have a converstion with someone regarding these types of situations, I am filled with sorrow, and I'll admit some anger too. Why? Why does this happen? Why can't it be stopped before the disease spreads and infects the entire family? Why can't the person just stop this behavior? Remembering back to my struggle with anorexia, and as a Christian woman, I remember asking God "Why can't you just make this go away?". I knew He had the power to remove it, but I also knew that His time is not MY time. I know now, and I even thought this during my struggle, God has a plan and this is going to be used for his glory. But we still wonder "Why?", and "How?".

Eating disorders, and all other negative behavior, usually do not start out intentionally. It is more than likely some small decision, like just deciding to eat healthier or have one drink, but then some deceit takes root, and before you know it, there is a full blown problem on your hands. The problem may not surface as noticably as an eating disorder, it may be more subtle such as low self-worth. All in all, you are being led astray by false thinking. I think of that young girl, and how maybe she was just trying to lose a couple of pounds so her old jeans would fit. While that in itself is not a huge problem, the lies Satan is feeding her, are. The lies might be: "See you really are worthless, because most of the girls in your grade are taller and thinner", or "You can't even lose a couple of pounds, you are incapable of doing anything", or maybe "If you just looked like those women on TV and in magazines, you would be so much happier"! The scary part about eating disorders are, when you mess with your body through starvation or purging, you get a chemical imbalance, and this leads to irrational thinking, and there, a huge problem lies. That is part of the reason that eating disorders are so long lasting and out of control. You truly can' think straight, to recover, without regaining physical nourishment first. I'll share one example of how deceived I was...In the worst of my eating disorder I had moments, especially at night, when I knew there was a probable chance that I would not be alive in the morning, yet every morning when I woke up, I was able to think, well I must be fine, so I can just keep on doing what I've been doing without any problems. Seriously, anyone who knew me knew I was not fine, so why didn't I?

To this day, I still do not understand it all, but this much I am sure of. The power of God was with me the entire time, and I clung to the truth I knew to be true of Him, even in the darkest moments. Satan may have been doing his best to fool me, but the power of Christ is so much stronger!

Be encouraged! Memorize scripture, and cling to the promises of God in all areas of your life, whether seemingly insignificant, or monumental. Just remember "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world". 1John 4:4