I was famous for having a “sweet tooth.” Friendly jokes and stories about my unwavering aim to capitalize on treats whenever possible were funny and made me feel a little special. I never saw it as a problem and was proud that I could eat whatever I wanted without any detriment to my health or appearance.

Over the years, though, I became more interested in putting the teachings of Christian Science into practice—teachings that focus on increased understanding and expression of Spirit, God, rather than on material goals and attainments. And as my desire for God grew, I became more alert to the mentally and physically unhealthful nature of a passion for sweets. It felt addictive. And even though many people face far more damaging addictions, I began to see how the distraction of this persistent pull hampered my peace and freedom. When I saw others turn down dessert, ice cream, or dishes full of candy, I began to feel I could break free of the hypnotic attraction to sweets.

At first, I was tempted to blame various factors from childhood that linked candy to happiness, and to blame myself or my parents (my dad was a candy distributor) for my carrying this appetite forward into adulthood. But then I remembered that Christ Jesus said of a man blind from birth, “Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). Jesus showed that it wasn’t about blame but about our right to express our real purpose of demonstrating the works of God.