“And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.” Psalm 106:15

Leanness of Soul

Walk His Way Revisited

Does God want you happy? Yes.

(Notice, I did not ask, “Do you DESERVE to be happy?” That is a different question with a different answer, and that is not what this is about today.)

All throughout Scripture, “fatness” of soul is a delight. “Fatness” in Scripture speaks of abundance and richness.

“My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness” (Psalm 63:5).

“They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures” (Psalm 36:8).

“…Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come to Me” (Isaiah 55:2-3a).

Don’t we all want abundance and richness of soul? Don’t hungry people crave fullness? And thirsty people crave a quenching of thirst?

Unless we have denied ourselves through fasting, most of us haven’t experienced true physical hunger and thirst. Most of us haven’t been forced to go hungry, as many of our forefathers did before everything was so plentiful and easy to obtain.

I think most of us aren’t hungry and thirsty enough for the fullness of God. We are satisfied with looking like everyone else, living like everyone else, not standing out because we’re not standing up for anything.

When the Israelites murmured and complained about the lack of food and water in the wilderness, God gave them what they asked for. They got their food and water. But along with it, they got leanness of soul. Their needs were met physically, but emotionally and spiritually a new need had been created.

Leanness is thin. Bare. Stripped to the basic level. Nothing to live on when things get worse. Nothing left over. Barely enough to get by. Lean years of famine, where the main thing in life is meeting the need of hunger. (And all too often, “eating” the wrong things to fill the void.)

Must we endure having a lean soul? No! God has given us RICHLY all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). Our souls can delight in the abundance of God. We hunger and thirst for righteousness, and He promises we will be filled (Matthew 5:6). “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

Maybe today you are feeling lean of soul, dry, empty. You want this abundance Jesus promises. Ask Him to fill you. Ask Him to show you the riches of following Him. Ask Him to give you a hunger and thirst for righteousness. He wants you to delight in fatness of soul!

Heavenly Father, we want to partake of your great and precious promises, that we may live an abundant life. Help us by Your Holy Spirit. Amen.