When Your Soul Hungers...

Sometimes I'll get this empty feeling. I hate it, and it's the worst. It makes life feel like empty, and makes you feel really worried about everything! I hate that feeling because I know it's not true. I know I'm here for a reason, and when I'm thinking straight I know that my life is FULL of wonderful things, people, opportunities, blessings, experiences, love, laughs, challenges, and color. My life is wonderful and I love what I've worked for as well as what's been given to me by a loving Father in Heaven.

I've realized that one explanation for this "empty" feeling may be my soul is hungering for the gospel, for the Holy Ghost, and for peace, fullness, and assurance. Just like our bodies need nourishment, and we feel our stomach's empty and aching for food, wouldn't it make sense that if our spirits-our souls that know God and know where we came from and where we are going-have not been fed and filled with light that our spirits would feel empty and aching? It makes sense to me. The times I feel empty are the times I'm not as closed to the gospel as I should be.

When I have the times that I stay so close to the gospel, and really feast on the scriptures and talks and the songs I notice that I start "craving" it. At these times I think my spiritual appetite grows and I just want more of it! I want more talks, and more scriptures and I really catch the fire of the gospel. This also means that I get "spiritually hungry" faster too though. Like when our bodies grow and we have a bigger appetite it takes more food to fill us up. I think that may be how our spirits work too. Once I've started reading the scriptures regularly then I notice I miss it a lot more a lot faster. If I want to keep the momentum I've gained I have to keep at it! It's like exercise- once you start it regularly you really notice the difference when you stop. On the opposite hand though, it blesses your life more and more as you continue on it and make it a habit in your life! I want it to be this way in my life with the gospel. I want to crave it, and feast on it, and feel it's fullness in my life!

I love the seminary video for the "My Soul Hungered" song- I know it's cheesy, but I love it! Here it is, along with the lyrics. :)




"Oh my soul hungered, the moment I knelt down to pray,
And felt all my doubts wash away.
Oh my soul hungered, He heard my cry.
 The voice of the Lord spoke peace to my mind.
 Oh my soul hungered- Things that were old became new
 When I learned to feel what I already knew.
 With all my heart, With all my soul, I wrestled before the Lord to make my life whole.
 He filled my hunger, He fed my soul. He fed my soul.
 The truth that belonged to everyone else Is now a sacred part of myself.
 Oh, I found out what I could not find,
 When I heard with my heart What I knew in my mind.
 Oh, my soul hungered."

( Text: Steven K. Jones Music: Kurt Bestor Arranged By: Brian Jensen Artist: David Brooks)