What was the “food” that the disciples didn’t understand?
“My food,” Jesus said, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. — John 4:34 The Discussion Bible
Addiction isn’t just about substances. It’s about what we love, chase after, and believe will bring lasting satisfaction. Whether it’s a craving for approval, control, or pleasure, our addictions reveal the deep desires of our hearts.
Many people think they can’t change their appetites. They are the ones who will die in their addictions, but Jesus has a better way. He did more than die in forgiveness of our sins. He is the way, truth, and life—the means for us to change the desires we didn’t think could change.
Behind Our Desires
We might tell ourselves we want things like money, success, or pleasure—but those are surface-level desires. The real question is: Why do we want them? We chase money, not for its own sake, but for what we think it will bring—security, freedom, or celebrity status, perhaps. We’re looking for whatever we imagine will bring us happiness and joy.
Addictions grow from this deeper longing. What we truly crave is not the thing itself but what it promises to provide. Someone addicted to shopping may not love clothes but craves affirmation or the excitement of feeling “new” or valued. The addiction reveals a deeper emotional or spiritual hunger.
Jesus Had an Addiction
In John 4, while the disciples went to buy food, Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman. When they returned, they urged him to eat. But Jesus said he’d eaten food they knew nothing about. His disciples were confused. Who gave him food? Jesus was addicted to always following the direction of the Holy Spirit in obedience to his Father. This addiction fed him, sustained him, and gave him joy. This wasn’t something done as a logical necessity, as an obligation. No, the commitment ran deeper than that, which is why we can rightly call it an addiction.
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature in favor with both God and man. We should not overlook his humanity. Over those years, he developed a deep hunger that could only be satisfied by faithful obedience.
Taste Followed by Repetition, Appetite Next, Then Addiction
All addictions begin with opportunity followed by the first taste. With repetition, an appetite develops. We want more. When we can’t have enough and want it all the time, we have an addiction, which can be either good or bad, or somewhere in between. It can become a matter of life or death.
With the first bitter taste of coffee, people might turn away—unless they find out how much better it is with a little sugar and cream. Maybe lots of sugar. The more they repeat that behavior, the more likely they will want the full impact of the coffee taste and caffeine boost, so they now prefer it black, without the sugar and cream. With the first puff of a cigarette, chain smokers develop an addiction. They say they want to quit, but the appetite for nicotine is stronger. Here’s the good news: We can develop appetites for what helps instead of harms us.
At first, a church volunteer feels hesitant, but after a few joyful experiences serving others, she develops a hunger to serve more. The opportunity brings the act that creates the desire that leads to a different kind of addiction.
The more we give to an appetite, the harder it is to stop. We should feed the good appetites and starve the bad ones.
What We Worship
Addiction is a kind of worship. That’s right, it really is a misplaced devotion.
Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29–34). Was it just hunger? Or was it an uncontrolled appetite that ruled him? His addiction to immediate gratification caused him to despise a long-term blessing.
What are you tempted to exchange for short-term satisfaction? What might you be addicted to, which distracts you from God’s best? Answering that question is the first step toward replacing a harmful addiction with one that brings life.
Environmental Influence
Addictions thrive in certain environments. Place someone who has broken a habit back into the same crowd as before, and the temptation returns. That’s because addiction is contagious. Whatever those around us crave can influence what we crave. That’s why the apostle Paul reminds us that bad company ruins good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33).
People recovering from alcoholism may remain sober in a supportive setting, but they will often relapse when surrounded by good ole friends who still drink. Similarly, someone growing in Christ may regress if surrounded by a spiritually apathetic church culture.
We need fellowship with those who are passionate about pleasing God and will encourage the right addictions.
Religious Addictions
Not all religious activity is godly. We can become addicted to appearing righteous, which is involvement in church activities, saying the right words, and checking the boxes that say we’ve been good—yet without truly knowing God.
Speaking to the super-righteous Pharisees, Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying, “These people express love with their mouths and their lips offer praise, but their hearts are somewhere else. Their reverence for me is nothing but a ritual” (Matthew 15:8–9).
People might attend church weekly, lead a Bible study, and know all the right answers—but if their motivation is pride or people-pleasing, their addiction is to performance, not God.
Addicted to Pleasing God
Unlike harmful addictions that degrade us, addiction to doing what God wants will transform us. The more we seek him, the more we desire him and want to do whatever he wants. The more we do what he wants, the more joy we experience—not in circumstances, but in the pleasure that comes from walking with him.
Think about a time you felt God nudge you to forgive someone, speak a word of kindness, or quietly help someone in need. If you knew that action pleased him, you felt the kind of joy that’s difficult to describe. Why is it hard to describe? Because it’s deeper and more satisfying than any of the earthly pleasures that people know for comparison.
Pleasing God is the kind of spiritual reward that reinforces our addiction for eternal life with Christ Jesus.
Breaking and Making Addictions
Change begins by addressing the desires that drive us. If we love something harmful more than we love God, we will never change—not until our desire shifts. God helps us after we make the choice, not before. He won’t override a heart that doesn’t want to be changed, just because we say we want to change.
Steps Toward Transformation:
Identify the desire behind the addiction (comfort, approval, escape).
- Ask God for clarity and honesty to face it.
- Pray without ceasing, because our desires fluctuate from moment to moment.
- Surround yourself with people who hunger after righteousness.
- Replace a bad habit with something that’s better.
- Keep moving toward what pleases the Lord, even when the feelings aren’t there.
We were created for a connection with God that has been broken and continues to be weaker than what it could be. Jesus invites us to be like him and strengthen that connection, for he is the way, truth, and life.
We can choose to be so addicted to pleasing the Father that no earthly temptation is worth considering.
The Right Addiction
I once had a craving I couldn’t explain—
A pull in my soul like a runaway train.
It wasn’t for chocolate or money or fame,
But something deeper that I couldn’t quite name.
I looked in the mirror and said, “What’s my need?
What’s driving my choices? What thoughts do I feed?”
I said I loved freedom, success, and the rest,
But maybe it wasn’t those things I loved best.
Some people crave power, and some want a thrill.
Others long to be noticed and chase every pill.
But deep in our hearts, there’s a hunger inside
That money and pleasure will never provide.
Jesus was hungry, but not for beef stew.
His appetite was for the best we can do.
“My food,” he said, “is to meet my Father’s desire.
That’s what really sets my heart on fire.”
His joy wasn’t loud like a party parade.
It thrived within and never did fade.
The thrill that he felt was more than a flash.
It grew as he served with no concern for cash.
Addictions are habits that grow with the first taste—
A little, then more, and even more as we add to our waist.
But what if we hungered for Heaven instead—
And feasted on truth by the Spirit as we’re led?
Just like with bad cravings, this hunger will grow
And keep bringing satisfaction, not sorrow and woe.
The more we serve him, the more we will care,
For the journey’s great rewards that will take us there.
We should be like Jesus and chase what is right—
Getting hooked on his mercy, his truth, and his light.
We need to be addicted to his kindness and grace,
And soon, all that would harm us will fall out of place.
For the soul that is fed by the Father above
Will overflow daily with joy, peace, and love.
After you acquire a taste for that heavenly bread,
You won’t want junk food that messes with your head.
So pray without ceasing. Be watchful. Be wise.
Let nothing distract you or darken your eyes.
And if you should stumble or feel all alone,
Just run to the One who still calls you his own.
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