Good Mood Food
April 5, 2020 by Donna McCrary
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Donna McCrary –
“Now that is good mood food!”
This was the last line of my eight-year-old’s writing assignment, describing his favorite food – pizza. Either he is watching too much TV, borrowing the slogan from the most recent “Arby’s” commercial, or his spelling words for the week focused on the “oo” sound. As the parent, I prefer the spelling word explanation.
As a Christian, I prefer the good-mood-food version of the Bible. I like the scriptures that promise “the peace of God, that transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), “your joy may be complete” (John 15:11), and “He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). These are good-mood-food scriptures; the ones we claim and celebrate because they make us feel good. But, if scripture is food for our spiritual diet, what happens when we live on dessert alone?
Heavier, more challenging scriptures, fiber-laden-scriptures if you will, don’t qualify as good-mood-food, but they serve a far greater purpose in our spiritual diet. The verses that challenge us to renew our corrupt minds; to love the unlovable; to forgive the unforgivable; to extend grace; to take a stand against the traditions of this world; to hold each other accountable; to speak the truth in love, even when it comes at the cost of rejection; oh, these scriptural truths don’t taste good and they don’t go down easy!
Recently, when faced with a troubling situation, I searched God’s Word for guidance. What I discovered in scripture was not good-mood-food. Nothing in me wanted to love someone who had hurt the people I loved or wanted to let go and truly forgive. I struggled to even be in the same room as this person.
This is where the tough-to-swallow-scriptures spoke, “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15). That is not good mood food! But it is God’s Word! I must consume a balanced diet of all scriptures, not just the good-mood-food. This is the only way to experience a healthy spiritual life.
You can’t live on good mood food alone. You have to add some tough to swallow fiber to your spiritual diet!
PRAYER: God, thank You for your goodness and Your promises that I claim and celebrate. Help me learn to live out Your Word daily even when it is not the easy, feel good choice.
BIBLE VERSE: “Jesus himself said, ‘Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4 NIV).
Today’s devotion is by Donna McCrary, wife, mother, speaker and author. Her greatest passion is inspiring others to live the “impossible” through Jesus. Her one-of-kind speaking and retreat seminars will leave you with a willingness to walk on water to get to Jesus. Book her for your next event at www.walkofpurpose.com.
Donna:
If all we read from our Bibles was that we were ‘good children’, we would miss the points of growth we need in order to strive for perfection. This past Sunday, I had two instances of God speaking to me about my attitude and about another very important issue. On the second issue, I felt I was doing what needed to be done but God told me otherwise.