Have you ever noticed the way cravings affect your body? Depending on what your favourite food indulgences are, have you ever noticed how the mere mention of them–let alone the sight or smell–can be enough to get your mouth watering? For instance, I’ve got the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time in Mexico, so, oh man, don’t even get me started on authentic Mexican street tacos. Just the thought of some adobada from Taco Nazoor, tacos de bírria from this taco truck called Tacos Aaron… oh… or my absolute favourite, suadero from Tacos Manuel in Rosarito… especially late at night. Just the thought of the cilantro and onions and greasy meat… talk about a craving!

Or how about some of these foods?

[Images: Popcorn, pizza, bbq steak, bacon]

Okay, let me compose myself…

Isn’t it amazing the way your body physiologically responds so quickly with anticipation and delight??

All too often though, our cravings run towards things that aren’t healthy– junk food, sweets and fast food garbage can feel like they have a magnetic pull on us! Why do broccoli, kale and cauliflower not have quite the same effect!? It would be so much easier if I wanted the things that were good for me, and hated the things that were bad for me!

While it may be true some foods are love at first sight (TACOS), the truth is that craving is also something that can be built; and the thing that builds craving is consistency. It’s the morning cup of coffee, again and again and again. The fast food burger, again and again and again. So, what if we turned that principle around, and made it work for us, instead of against us? And not just for our bodies, but for our souls as well?

The thing is, we know what choosing the crunchy broccoli salad again and again and again will do? It’ll make you start to crave crunchy broccoli salad. Intentionally choosing to exercise, again and again and again, will make your body literally crave exercise. And– most important of all – learning to centre yourself through prayer and spiritual practice, deeply and daily, will bother, stir and satisfy the cravings of your soul, like nothing else on earth.

So the question is… what do you want to crave, in your life right now? What good things– physically or spiritually, do you wish would have that same magnetic pull of irresistibility that bacon, or chocolate, or tacos, or even Netflix does? What do you wish you craved? Take a minute to think about that now.

As we’ve already said, craving gets built through consistency, over time. But baby steps work! Tiny moves of consistency are way more effective than heroic change attempts. And today is always a good day to start something new. So take one more minute– and this time try to move beyond reflection and into actual planning–what are some simple steps that you could take TODAY, or in the week ahead, to begin to lay the track for craving to begin? When,where, and how will you feed the craving you want to create?

Let’s Pray:

Jesus, You say “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness—for THEY. WILL. BE. FILLED.” Jesus, would You teach us to hunger after the things of You that breathe life into our very souls! And would You give us eyes to see what is garbage and would You even give us a distaste for things that want to steal, kill and destroy our very souls. Jesus, help us to desire You and even to want more and more of You. Even the Apostle Paul declared, “I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST!”

Let this be our cry today… I want to know Christ! I want to hunger and thirst for you Jesus and the things of Your Kingdom!

Lead us into craving more and more of who You are!

Thank you Jesus, we love you Jesus, Amen.