I recently spoke with a woman who was facing a 25 year battle with food addiction. From examining her jovial demeanor, one would never guess that there was a war raging inside. Fear, insecurity, pain, and shame consumed her. At 450 pounds, the physical weight could not compare to the emotional load she carried.

Most fascinating, however, was that she decided to free not only herself — but countless others. The woman noted, "I have to be honest about my weight. Although I'm afraid, I'm going to expose it. I'm going to face this issue dead-on and share my journey with others in a similar situation."

Although we may not share this courageous woman's battle with "physical weight," we all carry the weight of our individual struggles. For some, it might be guilt, insecurity, abuse, or a wayward past — for others, it could be pride, arrogance, unkindness, or selfishness. Whatever it may be, God wants us to expose and use our struggles for "good."

Romans 8:28 promises: "For those who love God, all things work together for good; for those who are called according to His purpose" (English Standard Version).

Sometimes our "call" is entwined with our "fall." The thing that has caused us to stumble and feel defeated might be our greatest ministerial tool. Like the brave woman who is using her battle with physical weight, we can expose our issues, face them dead-on, and share our journey with others. There is freedom in exposure.

Written by: Marsha DuCille - Publisher/Editorial Director
publisher @ calledmagazine.com