Permissible but not Beneficial

So this week I began another online Bible Study through Proverbs 31 ministries Online Bible Studies.  This time we are doing Lysa Terkeurst's book, "Made to Crave".  This is the first week of the study and our first blog hop.  This book is all about dealing with our need to crave God first and foremost.  Some things may be permissible, but they would not be beneficial to us.

For example, I may allow my children to eat certain food, but it certainly won't be beneficial to them.  This holds especially true for our oldest son who we found out is lactose-intolerant.  He can chose to eat certain foods that he knows he should not have, but it serves no benefit.

I can chose to eat chocolate cake - after all as Bill Cosby once described cake - it has all the basic ingredients of flour and eggs and such so it was given to children for their breakfast, but it does not hold the benefits of other better, healthier habits.  Sometimes we can chose to eat whatever is before us, but it actually may be healthier to make different choices.  I could chose to eat a piece of cake or I could chose to eat some veggies.  I could chose to sit inside and feel sorry for myself or I could chose to go to the gym with my husband.  It is all a matter of what is more beneficial.  

In the long run, I can chose to do what I want when I want how I want.  But those choices will not always be beneficial to me.  Or I could/should chose to spend time with God both in prayer and in His Word instead.  Only God can truly satisfy the longings of my soul.  But it isn't always easy to make those choices.  I want to crave God.  This study is helping to #empower me.