SOUL FOOD

One of the things I love, love, love to do is EAT. I love good food. And I particularly love soul food. It’s the  food I grew up eating. It’s the food that fills my belly and warms my heart. Give me some collard greens,  mac and cheese, fried fish (and yes, that would be the croaker with the head still attached), turkey wings  and gravy, black-eyed peas, fried chicken, grits, some yeast rolls, hushpuppies and anything drenched in  butter and you will have one happy girl!  

These are the foods that comfort me. That remind me of home. The foods I go to when I’m sad and that  I turn to in celebration. The foods that pick me up when I’m down and seemingly right my topsy-turvy  world. These foods also contribute to my expanding waist, clogged arteries, lethargy, and the overall  feeling of “blah-ness.” And when I developed food allergies (too many to name, and quite depressing  actually) and varying health challenges, I had to change the way I ate. And physically, I feel so much  better. But I felt like I got booted out of my “happy place.” I’m sorry. I like Brussel sprouts and all, but  they do not compare to a juicy cheeseburger and fries. I missed commiserating with friends over apple  cobbler and ice cream. My body was being made whole, yet my soul continued to feel empty. 

Scripture

Matthew 4:4 – But He answered and said, “It is written,’ Man shall not live by bread alone,  but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Lessons Learned

And then it hit me. I was longing for the wrong kind of soul food. See, the smothered chicken wasn’t  making me feel good. It was simply providing me a temporary high while masking my underlying need. It  wasn’t the sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows that I needed; it was a deeper, more meaningful  connection with the sustainer of my soul.  

Real fulfillment comes from God and God alone. His word is a complete meal – milk (I Peter 2:2), bread  (Deuteronomy 8:3) and meat (I Corinthians 3:2) – and is sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103), a joy and  a delight that satisfies the soul (Jeremiah 15:16). So let God’s Word nourish your soul and give you life  (John 6:63). Allow God’s Word to be Your portion (Psalm 73:26). Ingest His Word and chew on it until it  quenches your thirst, fills you up, and becomes the satisfaction of your every craving and longing (Isaiah  55:2). 

Lessons Lived

Anytime you’re tempted or have a craving, FEAST on God’s Word (Ezekiel 2:8). One Thing Alone  Ministries (onethingalone.com) describes the FEAST method this way:

Focus – Ask God to focus your heart and mind on Him (Psalm 139:23-24).

Engage – Engage with God’s Word. Allow it to speak to you (Romans 10:17). Assess – Assess the main idea. Analyze the meaning, the context (Hebrews 4:12). Spark – Ask the Holy Spirit to spark transformation in your life (Galatians 2:20). Turn – Turn your heart and mind towards God in worship. Respond to God. Live His Word  (Philippians 2:16, Acts 5:20).

Have an arsenal of scripture that “talks you off the ledge” and gives you comfort, peace and satisfaction  (Psalm 119:11). My go-to texts are as follows:

  • My Comforter – 2 Corinthians 1:3
  • My Hope – Psalm 39:7
  • My Joy – Proverbs 10:28
  • Filled Abundantly – John 10:10
  • My Sustainer – Isaiah 46:4
  • My Portion Control – Lamentation 3:24
  • My Strength – Isaiah 40:29
  • My Satisfaction – Isaiah 58:11

Finally, a book I recommend is Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. This book examines our God-infused  need to be filled. Lysa shares how, as a result of sin, we attempt to satiate our cravings with misguided  comforts, and what we’re really longing for is the only one Who can fill us, and that’s God.  

Let God’s Word be your portion so that you will be spiritually fit to do the will of God and finish His good  work (John 4:34)! 

Reflections

    1. How does Matthew 4:4 speak to you? 
    2. What helps you internalize God’s Word?
    3. How has God’s Word satisfied you or manifested itself as being everything that you need?
    4. How has God’s Word served as “soul food” for you?
    5. What are your personal LIFE Lessons?
      • Liberation: What new insights have you gained that have freed you from past thoughts  or practices?
      • Inspiration: In what ways have you been spiritually, emotionally or mentally motivated  to live for Christ?
      • Fortification: What additional scriptural texts, passages or stories can reinforce and  strengthen you against the attacks of the enemy?
      • Edification: How might you share your story in order to edify others and bring glory to  God?

Playlist

As you process, digest, and apply what’s been shared, here are a few songs from my “Who God  Is”Playlist. Listen, Let the music infiltrate your soul. Read the lyrics and let the words encourage you. And  I pray that you’ll be blessed as I was. 

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, Deplete me of me, oh God. Then fill me up. Be my portion. Be all that I need.  Satisfy me. Quench my thirst. More of You and less of me. In Your most holy name Jesus, I pray, Amen.

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