Craveable

Chocolate.

Cheese.

Tacos.

All things dip.

And coffee.

Who can forget about coffee? As a young mom, coffee is my lifeblood. My source of sanity most days. My body craves the smell, the taste, and that oh so sweet caffeine surging through my exhausted body one blissful drop at a time.

This is not my grocery list (although it could be). This is the stuff CRAVINGS are made of.  We always think of cravings as indulgences or even fantasies if we are “dieting”, but they are almost always indicative of something deeper.

Did you know that when your body is craving something intensely, it usually means you are lacking a certain nutrient your body desperately needs? Take chocolate for example. I crave it fiercely sometimes! My body also is and has been severely lacking in magnesium. Do you know what chocolate (good quality chocolate) has in it? Yep, you guessed it- MAGNESIUM. It would probably be best for me (and my waistline) to pop some magnesium instead of chocolate to give my body what it really needs. Magnesium helps with so many major functions in our bodies that we are unaware of! It really is quite amazing. You never think of these things unless you are lacking this important nutrient. Systems can slow down or even shut down depending on your level of deficiency.

No, I’m not here to give a health lesson – at least of the physical type. Hang with me here  for a second…

As I was going about my very busy day yesterday, I could not figure out why I felt so “off”. I thought maybe I needed a power nap, so I took one. Then, I thought maybe I just needed to get my to-do list done. A cup of coffee? No. Nothing I seemed to do helped me to shake the feeling of deficiency yesterday. It finally dawned on me that I never had my quiet time. Never opened my Bible. Never spent time in prayer. It wasn’t my energy level, nor my productivity that was to blame. My soul was craving the one nutrient it desperately needed and I was filling it with things that were lacking true nourishment. Sure, they were good things, but they weren’t THE thing I needed to get my system working optimally.

Ladies, our souls are hardwired to crave intimate time with our Savior. Sometimes we get so caught up in the throes of daily life that the slowing down of our system begins to feel normal to us. Over time though, it builds up and eventually there is a breakdown.

“As the deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for you, O God.” Psalm 42:1 (ESV)

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst’.” John 6:35 (ESV)

“For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Psalm 107:9 (ESV)

I encourage you to prioritize your time with the Lord each day. When your soul has a craving, don’t fill it with the temporary – fill it up on the EVERLASTING! There is perfect nourishment found in Jesus Christ. Rest in Him. Have your fill. Be satisfied.

Diane Haupt is a stay-at-home wife and mother and serves on the Prayer Team for The Connection. She is a fellow sinner saved by the grace of God and is an active member of LCBC Church in Waynesboro, PA where she serves on the worship team. She has a passionate desire given by the Holy Spirit to mentor and disciple other women.  You can email her at connectingwomenwithgod@gmail.com.