Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6 (CSB)
Out of desperation I call my husband at work. But I hear his voicemail instead. Here I am, at home with two screaming babies while he’s in a quiet conference room with other adults. So I decide to leave a message, but I don’t say anything. For forty-five seconds I let his voicemail record the shrill cries of two infants.
I hang up and try everything in my mommy-arsenal to soothe the shrieking cherubs. I feed them, change them, bathe them, and dress them. When that doesn’t work, I swaddle and bounce, sway and burble. Still, nothing. As a last resort, I drive around the neighborhood. A ride in the minivan usually quiets both of them. Then I have a brilliant idea. I know where we can go, and it won’t even require getting out of the car.
I find the nearest drive-thru and whisper thank you to the girl who hands me a paper bag with my cheeseburger and fries. I pull into a nearby parking space, and with both babies finally asleep, I eat my happy meal and cry.
Several years have passed since I left the now-infamous message on my husband’s voicemail at work. But even now, whenever I feel down, guess where I’m tempted to go? Not to my knees. Not to God’s Word. But to the nearest drive-thru altar.
This isn’t what I want to be true of me. I want to hunger and thirst for righteousness more than a cheeseburger and fries. Because only God can fill a hungry heart. The deep hunger I feel inside can never be truly satisfied with food or anything else. Only when we come to the banquet of the King and dine in His presence, feasting on the goodness of His Word, are we truly filled.
This story was written by Denise J. Hughes and appears in A Moment to Breathe, a 365-day devotional from the (in)courage community.
Leave a Comment
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Denise,
I can relate to going before the drive-thru altar or bowing before the pantry idol. I am an emotional eater. Carbs for when I’m down. Crunchy for when I’m stressed (I can go through a bag of M&M’s in no time). So true that when we are feeling overwhelmed we need to feast on His Word, not on the delights of this world. For me it takes discipline and obedience to pull myself away from the easy fixes and go to what will truly satisfy. Thanks for the encouragement, here, that I am not alone.
Blessings,
Bev xx
ps. Good, old, ugly cries are cathartic. Studies show that they release toxins from our systems. God gave us those tears for a reason. It’s okay to use them.
Ada Joe says
Dear Bev,
I smiled as I read your comments especially the NOTE on tears…God bess you Bev…I always look forward to reading your reply on incourage.
Denise J. Hughes says
Ada, I’m with you on that. 🙂
~Denise
Denise J. Hughes says
Bev, your sweet presence in this online space is such a gift to all who read your words. Thank you for sharing from your heart. You are a treasure.
xo
Denise
Michele Morin says
The right word at the right time always amazes me, even though my confessional theology is all about God’s sovereignty and omniscience. Thank you, Denise, for being the writer and the conveyor of this God-sent message for my heart on this particular day.
Denise J. Hughes says
Thank you, Michele. Your words are a kindness to me.
Grateful,
Denise
Mary says
As always Denise, your writing speaks to me. Thank you for always writing truth, sharing the less than beautiful and letting us know we are not alone.
Denise J. Hughes says
“Sharing the less than beautiful…”
^^I love how you put that, Mary. I think that ought to be my new tagline: Sharing the Less Than Beautiful. (I love it!)
So grateful for you, friend.
xo
Denise
Carol says
Seven pregnancies in 10 years can leave a mom feeling this way. I can relate. God bless.
Denise J. Hughes says
Goodness, gracious! Carol, I know you totally get it. I hope we can share a pot of tea together someday.
xo
Denise
Penny says
Denise,
Thank-you for touching on a moment of helplessness.
Have a blessed day all,
Penny
Denise J. Hughes says
You’re welcome, Penny. We all have those moments, don’t we?
🙂
Kimberly says
Denise,
Thank you so much. This is so timely so needed for me right now. I am in a transition period of doing away with highly ineffective coping skills for stress and my GAD. Those have lead to many bad health issues which were constantly in a loop of anxiety-physical pain-anxiety-physical pain. I broke one of my bad habits, eating unhealthy foods, to cope a year ago this May. I now first start praying and using the new techniques God leads to me for that day. It’s reassuring to know we aren’t alone in this struggle.
Blessings, Kimberly
Ingrid says
Denise, are you willing to share in more detail the techniques that the Lord leads you to for that day? I’m in great need of support and deeper understanding of my eating for comfort. Something in what you said struck a chord with me. It’s time for me to stop eating for comfort, and time to go to the Lord. I have been battling with this for 40 years, and I see it in my children. Thanks so much.
Denise J. Hughes says
Ingrid, your words have encouraged me to write a follow-up on this. Yes, I will definitely share more in depth soon. But for now, I can tell you that I read and write out one psalm a day. The psalms are super honest about all human struggles. In the psalms, we find reassurance that we aren’t alone in our experiences. When I need to turn to God (rather than food or something else), I turn to the psalms.
I’m for your, friend.
Denise
Denise J. Hughes says
Kimberly, I love how you put that >> “highly ineffective coping skills”!
Indeed, that’s exactly what emotional eating is! And I know we aren’t alone in this!
xo
Denise
Joan Moore says
Let this message be a “word to the wise”. Oh, that I would go to Him first and not the pantry!!!
Thank you for this powerful message.
Denise J. Hughes says
Thanks, Joan. We’re all in this together!
Denise
Tina Storms says
Dear Denise,
Ditto to Michele’s message above “Thank you, Denise, for being the writer and the conveyor of this God-sent message for my heart on this particular day.”
Praying your soul is blessed with His goodness and love!
Denise J. Hughes says
Thanks, Tina!
Lori says
I can relate!! Even tho it’s been years that I’ve had babies, each age and stage comes with it’s own unique stressors and demands.
It’s tough work retraining ourselves to change our go-to-for-comfort things: food, media, shopping, etc. But they are such momentary comforts.
I pray for all of us that new patterns of lasting comfort would become habitual and that we would crave more time in prayer, in His Word and practicing being in His presence. So refreshing to the soul, life giving and calorie free!!!
Denise J. Hughes says
Yes! Lori, you are so right about that >> “each age and stage comes with its own unique stressors and demands.” That is so true!
Connie Rowland says
Hi Denise! Wise words for a hungry and exhausted heart for sure. I completely agree with you, I don’t want to turn to food or other things when the loving arms of our Savior is what I truly need. Thank you for pointing us in the right direction. God bless!
Denise J. Hughes says
Connie, you’re wise to connect hungry and exhausted. It’s often the combination of the two that hits us the hardest.
Rebecca Jones says
I can relate, daycare and trying to answer the phone is about the same and since i have relatives living her, oooh. Burger King look out. But thankfully, we have matured, right? Go to Jesus first. Burgers later.
Denise J. Hughes says
Ha! Rebecca, that made me laugh. Thank you for that.
🙂
Denise
Rebecca Jones says
since I have relatives living here, sorry.
Mary Hood says
Oh boy, every mother can relate to this! I laughed about the voicemail. But even when our children are all grown we still revert to the wrong food, and forget there is manna from heaven. Thank you for this reminder to always go to Him first.
Denise J. Hughes says
Yep, it’s true. It really doesn’t matter what age our kids are. There are still challenges at every stage.
Beth Williams says
Denise,
Wise words. I can so relate. When stress hits me I eat way to much of the wrong foods. I usually cry & scream. When I settle down I turn to prayer & ask for help. We should run to God & His word first. The evil in this world would have us stay down & depressed. God is there to help us with the stresses of life. “Only when we come to the banquet of the King and dine in His presence are we truly filled.” Yes & AMEN! God is the only true source of comfort in our trials.
Blessings 🙂
Denise J. Hughes says
Beth, thank you for sharing. We are truly not alone in this at all!
Denise
Jen C says
Denise,
First , you are definitely not alone . These words resonate with myself as I’m sure so many others.
Thanks for thos reminder, even more so because I’ve been craving a cheeseburger, lol
Definitely need to keep my priorities straight.
Have a safe and joyful weekend .
Denise J. Hughes says
I hear you, Jen, and I’m right there with you, friend. 🙂
Denise
Diane Bailey says
What a precious heart for God, Denise … and a very honest confession about cheeseburgers. We all ha e our cheeseburger moments – having children involved can be optional. ❤️
Denise J. Hughes says
“We all have our cheeseburger moments.” << Indeed, we do! Grateful for you, friend. xo Denise
Brooke says
Swap the crying kids with me crying at my desk at work, and I’m right there with you. My job called for me to learn a new piece of software and use it to create an almost 200 page document. Some days I’d cry, other days I’d shout angry words in my head, but most every day I sought out the comfort of a 32 oz iced cold coke, and the contrast of salty French fries. Yet it was God who got me through those moments, not the drive-thru. Thank you for this reminder.