Dear Ones,
Hope you have a wonderful day! We had a big group of women show up last night for Bible Study. Today I have exercise class, Craft time and another Bible study.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I love to eat, and one of the first things I do in the morning after my devotions is begin to think about what I am going to serve for our main meal and start making preparations. I love the aroma of baked goods in the oven or soup on the stove top, and even while I am at exercise class I think of how nice it will be to get home to eat our big meal. There are so many recipes online with details of how to prepare them and it’s good to be present to our bodies, emotions and others as we eat and drink.
Very few of us have ever gone hungry, but some people self-medicate with food as they seek to remedy the emptiness that is felt within. But stuffing down food (gluttony) is not the solution. Others may use alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and any number of things and then that becomes a problem. When we use them to disconnect from ourselves and to escape from things we don’t want to deal with, it can become addictive. We can get high on cannabis, alcohol, cocaine, etc. in an attempt to forget what we are trying to suppress at the time, but that is not the solution. We may do the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result, but it will not get rid of our pain or the reason for it in the first place. Many of our behaviors that we think will bring us peace and wholeness just leave us empty and will not satisfy the deep hunger within.
Al and I lived through the Hippie generation when young people were trying psychedelic drugs and zoning out looking for meaning, but instead found addictions, drunkenness, depression, etc. But rather than run from our feelings and use artificial ways, we need to allow ourselves to feel our feelings and connect to the Lord, ourselves and others. The craving for artificial means may just be a holy hunger for God and as it says in (Eph. 5:18), “Do not get drunk on wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Within all of us is a craving for union with the Lord and to have that connection beyond ourselves. Let us not be given to gluttony to satisfy the hunger of our souls but connect with the Lord.
Challenge for today: Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and to satisfy your heart hunger.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy