Soul Hunger: Satisfy your hearts deepest longing (chart included)
In the book of Galatians, the apostle Paul presents two contrasting lists that encapsulate the nature of human desires and actions. On one side, we find the Fruit of the Spirit, representing qualities such as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and temperance. On the other side, we encounter the Works of the Flesh, which include adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, hatred, jealousy, anger, and more. These two lists serve as a reflection of the internal struggle we all face—between our yearnings for righteousness and our tendencies towards sinful indulgence. This blog aims to explore the depths of this struggle in outline form, by examining the hungers that drive our desires, the allure of unrighteous resolutions, and the importance of making a choice.
I. Two Lists—One Tale
A. The Fruit of the Spirit - Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Temperance
The Fruit of the Spirit represents the virtues that spring forth from a life rooted in God. These qualities are characterized by selflessness, compassion, and moral strength. They enable us to cultivate healthy relationships, experience inner peace, and exhibit godly character in our daily lives.
B. The Works of the Flesh - Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Idolatry, Hatred, Jealousy, Anger, and more
In stark contrast, the Works of the Flesh embody behaviors driven by selfish desires and a disregard for God's commandments. These actions lead to relational brokenness, emotional turmoil, and moral decay. They are a manifestation of our fallen nature and the destructive consequences of succumbing to our sinful tendencies.
C. Ground Zero – Our hungers, desires - Where the endless war is fought
At the core of these two lists lies the battlefield of our desires. Our hungers and desires serve as the driving force behind our actions, determining whether we align ourselves with the Fruit of the Spirit or the Works of the Flesh. It is in this arena that the endless war between righteousness and sin is fought.
D. The two lists suggest a third… here are the hungers - intimacy, happiness, contentment, justice, control, respect, truth, achievement, pleasure
Beneath the surface of our actions and behaviors, there exist deeper longings that fuel our desires. These hungers include the desire for intimacy, happiness, contentment, justice, control, respect, truth, achievement, and pleasure. While these desires are not inherently wrong, they can lead us astray when pursued through unrighteous means.
II. Yearnings that Create Hunger
A. To the sensual mind… there is a parallel where the works of the flesh resemble the Fruit of the Spirit.
The allure of the Works of the Flesh lies in their ability to mimic the qualities found in the Fruit of the Spirit. For instance, the desire for love can be twisted into lustful pursuits, and the longing for joy can be perverted into hedonistic pleasure-seeking. This parallel creates a deceptive illusion that the Works of the Flesh can satisfy our deepest yearnings.
B. There is a righteous prescription for every hunger. But there is also an unrighteous resolution.
While our hungers are legitimate and can be met through righteous means, the enemy seeks to offer unrighteous resolutions to our desires. Instead of seeking love through selfless acts of kindness, we may be tempted to seek it through illicit relationships. Rather than pursuing true joy through a relationship with God, we may turn to temporary pleasures that leave us empty and unsatisfied.
C. A most casual look into our culture will tell you the unrighteous resolution is at first the most attractive.
Our culture bombards us with messages that promote the Works of the Flesh as the path to fulfillment and happiness. The allure of instant gratification and the promise of immediate satisfaction make unrighteous resolutions appear attractive and appealing. However, this attractiveness is fleeting and ultimately leads to emptiness and brokenness.
III. Making a Choice
We may not be able to articulate the hungers we feel, but they are nonetheless there. The longer we refuse to choose, the more intense the pressure.
Acknowledging and understanding our hungers is essential in making wise choices. Often, we may not even be aware of the underlying desires that drive our actions. However, the longer we ignore or suppress these hungers, the more intense the pressure becomes. It is crucial, therefore, to confront these desires honestly and choose the righteous path that aligns with the Fruit of the Spirit.
Conclusion
In the war between the Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh, our hungers and desires play a significant role.
Please remember, the Works of the Flesh can mimic the qualities found in the Fruit of the Spirit by distorting and perverting them. it is important to note that while the Works of the Flesh may temporarily satisfy our desires, they ultimately lead to emptiness, brokenness, and separation from God. True fulfillment and righteousness can only be found by aligning ourselves with the Fruit of the Spirit and seeking God's guidance in all areas of our lives.
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