It was midnight, as I parked in front of the Safeway Grocery store. I was here to purchase a box or two of pancake mix. I’m grateful, the local store was open into the wee hours of the night. Why was I here?

The story begins when a couple of months earlier, my friend had introduced us to the pancakes at IHOP. Having recently arrived in the United States, my pregnant wife and I had never tasted the delicious stacks of IHOP pancake goodness. As soon as my wife tasted the syrup drenched pancakes, she was hooked. We became regulars at IHOP. As her pregnancy progressed, so did her desire for pancakes. However, our meager financial resources could not sustain this new habit. So, we resorted to purchasing pancaking mix and making our own pancakes at home.

Late into the night, one day, my almost 9 months pregnant wife asked for pancakes. I went into the kitchen, only to realize the pancake mix box was empty. I told my wife I would buy more pancake mix in the morning. A few moments later, with teeth clenched, she blurted, “I want pancakes, right now!” I could sense the seriousness of the situation. I know better not to mess with a pregnant woman. I complied and drove to the grocery store, a midnight.

Most pregnancies cause unreasonable or rather, uncommon cravings. That which is inside the woman’s body leads the woman to have an insatiable desire for something that she never used to crave. This common phenomenon can have a spiritual significance. Holiness, being spirit-filled, can lead to cravings for prayer, Bible reading, and spiritual experiences. The Holy Spirit, who indwells us, causes us to crave the eternal. We find ourselves hating the old lifestyle and all its vices. Suddenly, the things that used to matter have no meaning anymore. The spiritual exercise and ceremonies we used to despise become more meaningful.

Are you Spirit-filled today? What are you craving? Is it spiritual? Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Ask God for a desire for the holy, the sacred, and the eternal. Even during the darkest times of your life, you can seek the things which satisfy your spiritual hunger and thirst.