Tortilla crusted fish is good — really good. I love the taste of the tortilla crumbs coating my tilapia or trout. The restaurant version is best. But I’ve also tried the grocery store variety. You could say tortilla crusted fish is my latest craving. Chances are you have your favorite dish too. And yet, cravings can surface in many areas of our lives. Tortilla crusted fish just happens to come from my culinary file.

If I were to dig deeper than my palate I’d find some other cravings. Comfort, convenience, and control would definitely appear. What do you crave the most? Your list may mirror mine or you may have your own yearnings.

When it comes to cravings, it’s just a matter of time before we’re driven to fulfill our desires. According to Quote Soup, “Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” I like this definition. It reveals a hierarchy in our wants. What appeals to us in the moment may be quite different from what we aspire to in our future. Here’s my exploration.

I may want a solution to a problem now. But what I need the most is to learn to trust God.

I may want an escape from dealing with difficult people now. But what I need the most is to learn to love them.

I may want to stay where I’m the least challenged now. But what I need the most is to move beyond my comfort zone.

I may want every financial resource to appear now. But what I need the most is to thrive in God’s grace.

While some of our desires may be God-given, fulfilling those desires can become self-driven. Humility positions us to yield to His plan. However, pride can halt the process of receiving His blessing.

Comfort, convenience, and control are appealing. But from a discipline perspective, having things go my way doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going the right way. Embracing God’s Sovereignty allows me to see the big picture of His purpose. Then my cravings become an expression of what He is longing to do instead of my insistence on what I must have.

With our deepest desires in mind, here’s some good news: we can check the merit of our cravings based on how close they are moving us towards God. Yes, I still want my tortilla crusted fish — now. But discipline reminds me that I want to finish writing this post more. Just knowing the difference brings hope to my heart and joy to my soul.

“My soul is dry and thirsts for You, True God, as a deer thirsts for water. I long for the True God who lives. When can I stand before Him and feel His comfort?” – Psalm 42:1-2 (The Voice)