Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2-3)

Think of yourselves in this way, writes Peter, as a newborn baby, helpless and hungry, and with one sort of desire: to be fed. In the various cravings that exist in life, cultivate that one craving for pure spiritual milk; that is, the only nourishment that comes from God Himself that enables us to grow up in our faith. Unlike the other cravings, which can become poisonous to our spirits and stunt our growth (see the options mentioned just before this in 1 Peter 2:1), this craving is appropriate, necessary and leads toward health spiritually.

The craving for spiritual milk mentioned by Peter here precedes the activity of feeding, which precedes the growth that is to come. Do we want to grow in our life with God? Then it is important to be aware of what we are feeding our spiritual life with. Is it for our good or not? But no matter how important the substance of our feeding is, it is perhaps even more important to pay attention to the desires—the cravings—that motivate us in life. Our cravings can lead us toward soul-nourishment or to soul-poison.

So what do we desire at the deepest levels of our souls? May we invite God into that place today, letting Him shape our desires and then feed us with true spiritual food.