What Do I Really Long For?

 

“The soul is made for longing.” — Frederick Buechner

On my recent visit to New York City with my son, we went to Times Square on a Saturday night.  I wanted him to experience the mass of humanity that gathers there at night amid the flashing lights, giant screens filled with advertisements, the noise, the bustle, and the energy of the place.  

It's a lot to take in, to say the least.  

As we were making our way through the throngs of people, I had the strangest feeling come over me.  It was as if I could feel a burden of some kind that everyone around me was carrying, and it was amplified by the sheer number of us feeling it at once.  

This burden was one of longing.  I realized everyone there that night was experiencing some kind of longing deep in their heart, and maybe more than one.  

Whether it was a longing for connection, excitement, or distraction from the ordinary, it was palpable.  I also had a sense that some were longing to be seen, heard, or recognized.  Others longed for love, fulfillment, success, or satisfaction.  

Human beings are creatures of desire.

We spend much of our lives pursuing something—success, security, love, purpose, meaning, belonging, peace. Yet even after achieving some of these things, we often discover that the longing remains.

Why?

Because beneath our many desires lies a deeper longing that cannot be satisfied by achievement or possession alone.

Psalm 42 begins with the words, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.” The psalmist recognizes that beneath all other desires exists a deeper yearning for connection with the One who created us.

Frederick Buechner often wrote about the importance of paying attention to our deepest longings. Those longings can become spiritual clues. They point us toward what matters most.  

The short quote at the beginning of this Devo speaks to this clearly.  It acknowledges that there is more to us than our physical existence, and that the deeper spiritual part of who we are often nudges us toward what matters most to us  

The question is not whether we have desires.

The question is whether we understand them.

Sometimes what we think we want is not what we actually need. We pursue recognition when we long for belonging. We chase success when we long for meaning. We seek control when we long for peace.

Jesus understood this. When he encounters people throughout the Gospels, he often asks a simple question: “What do you want?”

This question sounds easy until we sit with it honestly.

Questions that point us to our humanity invite us beneath the surface of our lives. They help us distinguish between temporary cravings and deeper spiritual desires.

Perhaps some of our deepest longings are actually invitations from God.

Invitations toward healing.
Toward purpose.
Toward relationship.
Toward love.

And ultimately toward God, who alone can satisfy the deepest hunger of the human heart.

Prayer

God of every longing, help me discern the deepest desires of my heart. Teach me to seek what truly brings life and draw me closer to the purpose and peace you long for me to know. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. What do you most deeply long for right now?
2. Are there ways you've confused temporary desires with deeper needs?
3. How might your longings be inviting you closer to God?