The Be-Attitudes of the Christian Walk ~ Be Hungry: Craving Righteousness in a Spiritually Starving World

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” –Matthew 5:6

Imagine This:

You’ve been at sea for months, fleeing to the New World in hopes of worshiping God freely. The food supply has dwindled to the bottom of the barrel. Vermin fight over what’s left of the rations. You scoop the last of the oats—refusing to look too closely—and mix it with stale water. Gratefully, you thank God you’ve lived to see another sunrise.

You eat with such intensity, it feels like a feast fit for a king.

Those who sailed to the New World in the early 1600s faced unimaginable hunger, disease, and loss. They were often forced to eat rancid food and drink bitter water—yet they did so because it was their only source of life. When freedom is your goal and you are starving, even bitter things can taste sweet.

“A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.” – Proverbs 27:7

Have you ever been so physically hungry or thirsty that you ate something you normally wouldn’t touch—just to stop the ache? I have. It may have satisfied me for a moment, but the headache or indigestion afterward reminded me: proper nourishment is worth the wait.

Spiritual Hunger Is No Different

When we’re spiritually starving, we may grab whatever promises quick comfort—sin, toxic relationships, distractions, addictions. These may feel sweet for a moment, but they can never truly fill us. They leave us more depleted, more empty.

On the other hand, when we are nourished in Christ, we begin to recognize the difference between the true sweetness of God’s Word, His presence, and righteous living—and the bitterness of sin, stress, and worldly noise.

Just as a physical diet plan helps us avoid foods that harm us, a spiritual plan keeps us from craving the junk food of the soul.

“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.”
– I Peter 2:2-3

What Are You Hungry For Today?

When I’m spiritually depleted, I often reach for the remote or scroll social media—looking for connection, inspiration, or escape.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with those things, but if I turn to them instead of God when my soul is thirsty, I’ll always come away unsatisfied. What I truly need is the sweetness of Scripture, the encouragement of believers, time in worship, and an awareness of God’s presence.

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” – Psalm 107:8-9

Do You Have a Plan?

Do you plan for your physical health, or do you grab what’s fast and convenient in the drive-through?

What about your spiritual health?

The Lord wants to satisfy you with all good things. He invites you to the table daily—not to eat the world’s scraps, but to be nourished by His truth, love, and presence.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” – Psalm 34:8

A Simple Spiritual Nutrition Plan

Try making a quick “menu” each day:

Breakfast: What will nourish you to start the day (spiritually and physically)?
Lunch & Dinner: How can you fuel your body and soul?
Spiritual Nutrition: Scripture, worship, fellowship, prayer?
Physical Exercise: What keeps your body strong and your mind alert?
Daily Prayer Focus: Who or what will you lift up today?

God’s Word is the best restaurant to fill our hungry souls. Drinking from the Living Water helps us stop thirsting after what the world offers.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please help me to hunger and thirst after righteousness and not the things of the world. Help me to desire the good things You offer and to be filled. Guide me in being disciplined about what I put into my body, my mind, and my soul.
In Your Precious Name, Amen.

Want to Go Deeper?

Here are some tools and resources to help you feed your soul:

I’d Love to Hear From You

How are you planning to nourish your soul this week? What helps you stay spiritually healthy?

Feel free to leave a comment or email me at soulwater@kerilynnwillis.com.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” – Matthew 5:6

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My name is Keri Willis. I am a semi-retired educator. I spent a great deal of my career working with adults with developmental disabilities and many years in elementary education, in the classroom and as an administrator. My main ministry now is coordinating the women’s ministry for our church in San Diego, CA. I have been married thirty-four years and have two grown and married children. I now have a head of full grey hair and good ideas. I believe we are created to use our gifts and to be creative. That comes in many forms for me. I love to woodwork and use power tools, design, decorate, garden, and create new recipes. And I love to write. One major lesson I have learned in my writing journey is that I need to be still and listen to hear God’s voice before I am prepared to put into words the message he has instilled in my heart. This has been much easier since I am no longer working full time, but it is so easy to get distracted and not listen, which almost always ends with an empty page in the form of writer’s block. While I have written many articles for newsletters and local newspapers, I did not consider myself a writer until I self-published my first book, Teapots and Power Tools. https://www.amazon.com/Teapot.../dp/1466458763/ref=sr_1_3... The idea emerged as I was working on a project in my garage. I had worship music playing, power tools out and saw dust flying. I glanced up and saw my delicate teapot sitting on my router table. The message was clear. Sometimes we are using the power tools God gives us and sometimes he just wants us to be still and have tea with him. The book became the foundation for a women’s retreat, and then my amazing niece helped me work through publishing it on Create Space (now KDP). At least five other projects are in different stages of production. I joined hope*writers to help motivate me and keep me focused and accountable. I am still trying to figure out the whole website and blog thing. That is my next goal for myself; that and finish writing at least one of my projects! Teapots and Power Tools: Effectively using the tools God has equipped you with, while taking time to “Be Still and Know That He is God” View more posts