What Are You Hungry For? Spiritual Insight from Natural Needs

By: Lauren Thomas

If you have ever found yourself relating to the stereotype of a woman who can’t answer the question, “where do you want to eat?” I’ve got a different question for you: “what are you hungry for?”

But I’m not talking about food.

 

It’s an important question, because what we crave holds insight for us.

 

In Matthew 4 we read that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil:

 

² And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 

Matthew 4:2-3 ESV

Notice, Jesus had a natural and healthy need after fasting for so long. He was hungry. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, with having needs. But anywhere in our lives that we feel hungry is an opportunity for the devil to do what he does: tempt us. It is not a “moment of weakness” to be hungry, but it is in our hunger that we might experience a moment of weakness.

When we are aware of where we are hungry, we gain insight on where we might be tempted and where we might find ourselves failing.

What are you hungry for? Do you crave approval? Do you desire to have friendship? Do you want recognition? Vindication? Comfort? Security? Some needs are healthy. But even healthy needs can be met in unhealthy ways. For instance, desiring connection is healthy, but committing infidelity to find it is not healthy. Healthy needs can be met in unhealthy ways. Satan knows this and that’s why he tempts us where we hunger.

In Matthew 4, we not only learn about the devil’s strategy, but we also see Jesus’ solution:

⁴ But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4 ESV

 

Jesus verbally asserted that the ultimate source for meeting every need, every hunger, every craving, is God alone. In God alone is true satisfaction found.

 

In our hunger, we might face our greatest temptations. But in our hunger we are pointed to the greatest satisfaction: God.

 

For he satisfies the longing soul,
    and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Psalm 107:9 ESV

 

Now you know where you want to eat.

 

Reflection:

Do some soul searching and discover your hunger. Where are you hungry? What do you crave? Can you see a correlation between your hunger and where you find yourself tempted? How could this hunger be satisfied in God?