Desire Run Amuck

Proverbs 27:20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. (NLT)

I’ve been controlled by mine for as long as I can remember. It doesn’t matter how much I imbibe, it’s never enough. So every few hours I do it again.

My addiction? Food coupled with a seemingly insatiable appetite. And not normally for healthy things such as fruit, whole grain, pasta, skim milk, and baked goods. Although I do enjoy vegetables. I’d rather have fried food (my cooking bible strictly forbids baked or broiled chicken). Little Debbies were manufactured to savor not avoid and salt and vinegar chips were designed to eat by the bagful not handful. Pies, cakes and brownies are all God’s gifts to enjoy.

Considering my position, you might assume I’m grossly overweight. Actually just a few pounds, but I could be. When I reached midlife, my metabolism suddenly slowed but my desire didn’t which caused a previously unknown condition-a bulging stomach. 

A voracious appetite joined with changing metabolism resulted in an altered lifestyle and one I’m not overly fond of. Now I drink diet drinks (they’re actually good after the second day), eat more baked foods and have a bagel and banana for breakfast (instead of a chocolate pop tart). And I stopped buying Little Debbies (although I occasionally indulge in salt and vinegar chips followed by a Reese’s Cup).

Most desires are never satisfied. Death and destruction being prime examples. Everyone dies regardless of our best efforts to avoid it. Our play toys deteriorate, or we tire of them. I possess nothing that was mine when I entered this world and very little I’ve accumulated along the way.

Desires leading to enslavement should be adamantly avoided. What I don’t control controls me. But there is one form of appetite we shouldn’t feel guilty about. Never having enough of God is permissible (Matthew 5:6).

When unhealthy and inappropriate desires vie for your attention, satisfy them with healthy portions of God’s Word topped off with thick layers of prayer. I personally never get enough of these two. And they don’t impact my stomach.

Prayer: Heavenly Lord, may our desire continually be to know you better and understand more clearly your plan for our life.
(photo courtesy of 7thsens at www.freedigitalphotos.net)