How Can I Crave God More Than I Crave Chocolate?

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My friend Karen gave me a bag of chocolate covered almonds this weekend and I admit, they are almost gone! I can’t help it! Well, actually, I can help it. I just don’t want to! You know how it goes; you eat one, you want another. Eating one doesn’t satisfy; it just makes me crave one more!

But, that’s not how it is with God. It’s ironic the more we long for Jesus – to know him and love him – the more we are deeply satisfied.

Most things in life don’t work out that way. If you develop a craving for chocolate you’re going to keep eating it until you just get sick at your stomach!
Cravings can be a big problem if you’re longing for the wrong things like acceptance or perfection. You can never please everyone; never be good enough. Let’s face it, lots of addictions result from craving things other than Jesus. (And, I’m not just talking about drugs or alcohol; food, shopping, and money all fit into addictions, too.)

So, what to do? How can I crave Jesus as much as, or even more, than I crave these chocolate covered almonds?

My friend, Lysa TerKeurst, says, we “crave what we eat.” Hmmm.I often think I eat what I crave but the truth is that we do develop a longing for that which we consume.

My flesh and my heart may fail (when it comes to my cravings), but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 [Click to Tweet]

The point is this my sisters: If we consume, enjoy, commune with Jesus, we will crave even more of Him. And, He will become the perfect, satisfying portion for our souls.

The Psalmist said, “The Lord is my portion.” It is not “The Lord is partly my portion,” nor “The Lord is in my portion”; but He Himself makes up the sum total of all my soul needs and desires. Think about it; God Himself is your portion. He is what meets your longings. It is not just His grace, nor His love; but God Himself.

That means, just like I eat one chocolate almond at a time, I grab one moment with Jesus at a time. I stop and listen to His voice through a song. I feel the breeze and think upon His majesty. I read a verse from His Word and absorb His truth. I breathe a prayer as I vacuum the carpet. If we become mindful of engaging with God during our day, we will long to be with Him during our day. Our longing for God is the only longing we will ever have that will totally satisfy us and make us thirst for more.

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!

Question: What cravings do you need to set aside for the cravings of God? Leave a comment here.

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Categories: Bible Study, My Thought Closet
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