Longings

Having a particularly stressful morning on my birthday, (I woke up to an Email that the last leg of our vacation was being cancelled; and my computer had been invaded): I cried out in frustration. My husband, ready to fight off dragons, said “What can I do?”

“Chocolate I yelled! Bring me chocolate!”

Do you ever have cravings? I do! When I’m frustrated, when I’m sad, when I’m lonely, when I’m mad, I crave chocolate! I read this year that it has some of the same properties as an opioid!

I found a chapter of one of the books that I am currently reading, interesting. The author, Nichole Johnson says,

“You were made for more than this world has to offer you. Our yearning, longings , cravings, and hopes are telling us something: there is not enough love, peace, hope, friendship and intimacy on this earth to satisfy us. We will always want more.”

“Longings-- Coming face to face with the fact that there are empty places in our lives that haven’t been filled.

Yearning—wanting more than we have.

Cravings—The hope of finding something That will satisfy the rumblings in the stomach of our soul”

“It’s true, what we don’t have shapes us more than what we have. We are like Swiss cheese, and the holes in us are actually supposed to be there. The holes are the things that make us who we are. The holes are the places God has reserved in us for Himself! The longings identify our real hunger. A hunger that drives us to Him to be satisfied. If…big If… we listen….”

Fresh Brewed Life Nichole Johnson

Thomas Nelson Publishers Nashville TN 1999

My daughter and her husband long to buy a house. I asked, “What are you willing to give up to meet that goal?

I want to have a grandchild. If that is not possible, what can I do to compensate for that craving? Volunteer with youth groups? Teach classes? Find ways to serve mothers with children? Become an advocate for children who need help?

Many in our country today are afraid. They fear strangers; they fear the economy failing;

They fear they won’t get theirs. They fear the government. They fear God. What can we do to bring back hope into our world? What can we do to get out of the depression we seem to be sinking into—to achieve our longings? Prayer is the only answer. Whether we believe or not, we must let God fill the holes in our souls. He has longings too. He wants us back.

I love you. 

Think about it!