I made an inner decision this summer to work on my appetite. I tell everyone I gained five pounds when I became a Minister to Women. We always have food at all of our events—and good food too. I think I’m only eating a little, add into the equation that I am over forty and it all adds up. It was really hard at first. I always felt hungry. I thought I would have to feel hungry the rest of my life, but my stomach adjusted after about a month. Now, I don’t feel as hungry, but I still have to work to avoid stirring up my cravings and my appetite. It would be very easy to slip into my old appetites. I try to remain aware of what I’m eating and how I can keep up with my commitment to cut back every day. I’m not even declaring that I’ve changed my appetite forever, just that I’ve had a little success in the last few weeks.

Peter challenges us to think about our spiritual appetites in 1Peter 2:1-3, Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit,hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritualmilk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tastedthat the Lord is good. It takes total discipline to crave spiritual milk.I find it harder to replace my spiritual appetites than I do my physical appetites.

It’s amazing to get in touch with the many cravings that block my appetitefor intimacy with God. My appetites to get everything done I need to do today,my focus on my physical appetite, my worries of whether people are happy withwhat I have done, my desires to redecorate my house, my decisions about whatto wear…all of these block my appetite for God. These worldly appetitescan do harm to our souls because they keep us from craving spiritual milk. Weare so full of worries or preoccupations that we are filling up on junk foodand have no desire for pure spiritual food. As long as I allow malice, deceit,hypocrisy, envy and slander in my life, I will not grow to crave spiritual milk.

The only cure to our poor spiritual appetites is to taste that the Lord is good.Just a little taste of His goodness will help cultivate your appetite for spiritualmilk. I even need God’s help to want to taste His goodness. My sinful desirescrave revenge when I am angry. Therefore, I’ve really got to push myselfto taste from the cup of forgiveness when I feel wronged. At first I bring tothe cup to my mouth and I close my eyes and crinkle up my face the way my childrenused to do when they had to take bad tasting medicine. I don’t crave totaste the goodness of God through forgiveness; I’d rather drink the cupof anger and slander. When I bring it to my lips, it seems distasteful, but onceI begin to drink and let God and forgiveness into my soul, I notice the changeit makes in me. I taste the goodness of God and that cures my appetite for revenge.

I know you can tell I’m a little shaky about claiming that I have conqueredmy physical appetites. I’m even more unsure about my cravings for spiritualmilk. I can tell you that I have tasted the goodness of God and have found Himthe only satisfaction my soul can have.

Note: There are links to Biblegateway.com forall the Scripture used in this devotional. Let me know if you like this feature.