Hershey Kisses

by Macy Johnson

“Man does not live on bread alone

but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

(Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV)

I struggle to learn obedience in the area of eating. Addicted to food, I shove aside the spiritual for the physical.

God blessed me with this weakness to teach me that nothing He creates is ever meant to satisfy my desires. Everything looks delicious, but the taste… disappointment, again.

A frustrated friend once asked, “Why doesn’t God take the fat away?” Yes, He’s powerful enough. Imagine what would happen if God removed the consequences of indulging in food or drink or anything else. Would we ever stop? If God didn’t nudge me to instead think of Him, I would be many times my current size.

I kept Hershey kisses in the refrigerator. One afternoon I was drawn to the kitchen, not hungry, either stressed or bored, with visions of chocolate dancing in my head. I stopped before opening the refrigerator door, and said aloud, “Ok, God, these kisses would taste great and make me feel so good! Can You do better than that?”

What happened next is difficult to explain. A quiet peace fell over me - I didn’t want the candy. I wanted Him. I realized in that moment that nothing tastes as good as being close to Jesus feels.

The Holy Spirit lives in me and guides me through all lessons of life. Will I push Him aside? I can only blame myself if I ignore His guidance. My relationship with Him is more wonderful than anything I could ever put in my mouth, mind, or body.

I will reach for God today instead of His creation. I hope you will, too!