SoulFULL: Chapter 1

What is the soul? We all know that we are more than just skin and bones, more than the sum total of our physical bodies. We have something inside of us, the inner life, or core of who we are, that has a different nature than our physical bodies. This inner part of who we are is the soul. Our thirst for significance comes from the soul. Our desire to live with meaning and purpose comes from the soul. The soul is where our drives and passions come from. So what is the condition of your soul? Is it thriving or on life support? Is it nourished or starving? Is it refreshed or exhausted? Is it FULL or empty? As you think about where you are at, listen to the song "SoulFULL" and enjoy.
 
Though the condition of each of our souls may be different, we all have needs and desires that must be met in order for our souls to be full and healthy. Each and every day we strive to fill our souls in an attempt to meet those needs and desires. In order to understand what our souls need, let's take a closer look at the idea of  lling and whether or not our souls are getting what they need.

Consider the difference between being empty, filled, and fulfilled. To be empty is to hold or contain nothing. When we drive a car, we know when the gas tank is empty by looking at the fuel gauge. The car will stop moving when the gas tank holds or contains nothing. To fill is to occupy space or volume. As Americans we know what it means to be  lled up. We have full stomachs, full schedules, and full email boxes. We also know when our car's gas tank is full by looking at the fuel gauge. When it is full, the space or volume in the gas tank is occupied. But what the fuel gauge cannot tell us is what is inside the gas tank. If we poured orange juice into the gas tank, it would be filled up, right? Even though the orange juice occupies the space or volume inside the gas tank, it won't help the car move. It's not enough to just be filled up. To be fulfilled and satisfied is to contain and hold all that is possible; to have a need met; to be fully or completely supplied.1 What we  ll the gas tank with matters, because when the gas tank is  lled with gasoline, the car can do what it was made to do. Gasoline satis es the need the engine has and allows the car to ful ll its purpose.

In the same way, our souls were not meant to be empty or just filled. Our souls were meant to be fulfilled and satisfied--to be SoulFULL. What we fill our souls with matters. When we fill up on the wrong things, we are left frustrated and discontent. When we fill up on the right things, we will fulfill our purpose and enjoy satisfaction the way we were made to.

"When the party all goes home"

What is it that we fill our souls with? In order to answer that question, we need only look at what we chase after in life. The things we pursue in life are much like the gasoline that fuels the engine of our souls. Throughout human history, people have sought to find fulfillment and satisfaction through a number of different avenues. To put it another way, we have tried to find happiness through a variety of pursuits. These pursuits generally fall into one of several categories including: pleasure, wealth, fame/ success, power, knowledge, and human relationships.

Pleasure is king in the 21st century. All you have to do is listen to the music on today's pop radio stations to know that our culture values sex as the pleasure of choice. We overindulge in entertainment such as movies, music, TV, video games, and sports. Some choose drugs and alcohol to feel good, and others go overboard on food. Whatever we are looking for, we can  nd it on-demand and in abundance anytime we want.

The obsession for money and stuff has also taken over our culture. No matter how much we have, we always want more. We expend endless effort to grow our bank accounts and buy the biggest house the bank will give us. We get caught up in collecting a ridiculous number of possessions as we feed our endless hunger for more.

Let's not forget about the desire for fame and success. Not that long ago, the only way you could be famous was to be in a movie or be a rock star. Today, all you have to do is open a social media account and post a few videos and you are a virtual star. Being successful in a career or business tops the charts for many of us. If we could just get that job, promotion, degree, or project finished, the sense of accomplishment we would experience is believed to result in the fulfillment we long for.

We also seek power over other people as a way to find satisfaction. We want to be the one in charge and make all the decisions. We want everyone else to follow the script that we have written. We believe that if we could have control over those around us, then life would be good.

Knowledge can also be a primary pursuit in our lives. We live in a culture that values knowledge more than at any time in human history. Technology has allowed us to have information on anything with a few clicks. Want to know the stats on your favorite player for your fantasy team, just Google it. Want to know how to Samba or plant a garden, just hop on YouTube. At a higher level, the pursuit of knowledge in science, social studies, and other disciplines is thought to somehow satisfy the answers to life's biggest questions.

Finally, we believe that human relationships are the answer to our thirst for satisfaction and ful llment. If we could just find the right guy or girl, then we would be complete. We expect the other person to meet all of our physical and emotional needs. We can make our children the absolute center of our world. Our happiness depends on our children's happiness. We believe that if our kids succeed in school and various activities, then we will be fulfilled.

In the next stage, we will look at our own lives to see whether these pursuits really deliver what we think they will. But before we get there, let's learn from someone who has gone before us in seeking ful llment through the pursuits we have outlined.

"And something's missing deep inside me"

The Bible chronicles the story of a man who truly had it all. Solomon was one of the kings of Israel about 3,000 years ago, and took advantage of all that life had to offer. Solomon was not content to go after one or two pursuits in life, but tried them all.

Solomon had so much gold that silver itself was considered to be of no value and as common as stones and wood (1 Kings 10:14--29). Not even Bill Gates or Warren Buffet could say that! Solomon was so famous and successful that leaders of other nations had to see him and his kingdom for themselves (1 Kings 4:31; 10:1--7). When it came to pleasure, sex was definitely Solomon's choice. He had 700 wives and 300 other women ready for him whenever he wanted (1 Kings 11:1--3). Seriously, Solomon? In regard to power, Solomon was in charge of an entire nation at its pinnacle, directing hundreds of thousands of workers to build his palace and the temple of God (1 Kings 5:13--18). He was also gifted beyond anyone else when it came to knowledge. Solomon knew how to navigate difficult decisions with skill and wisdom (1 Kings 4:29--34). Isn't it crazy to think about all that Solomon had?

Solomon's mantra could have been "Work, play, sleep, repeat." Day in and day out, he overindulged on everything his world had to offer. You would think that if a person could experience even a fraction of what Solomon did, they would find fulfillment and satisfaction in full measure. Open your Bible and read Ecclesiastes 2:1--10 to find out whether he found what he was looking for. Ecclesiastes 2:11 sums up Solomon's quest for satisfaction and fulfillment through the pursuits we have talked about.

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
--EcclEsiastEs 2:11

Now, read the verse again, but this time read it out loud. (Don't worry if someone hears you reading. They probably need to hear it as well). Then, read the verse a third time slowly and carefully, letting each word and phrase sink in.

In the end, all that Solomon chased after did not work to give him the lasting fulfillment he desired. Why was Solomon still unsatisfied after all that he had acquired and experienced in life? What do you think he missed?

What about the people you know? Do any of them go overboard on pleasure, money, fame/success, power, knowledge, or relationships? Have they found what their soul is looking for?

Reach Out

On your favorite social media platform, let everyone know that you are reading and listening to Live SoulFULL and ask them to help you out by answering the following question: What part of your life brings the most satisfaction and fulfillment to your soul? Post this question and compare the answers you get to what Solomon pursued.

Reach Up

As you have thought about the people around you, you may have had some thoughts about your own life and what you are chasing after in order to find satisfaction and fulfillment. In the next stage, you will have the opportunity to answer some similar questions about yourself, so spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal to you what it is that you are pursuing and how well it's working for you.

Sound Waves

As you listen to the song "SoulFULL," think about the different pursuits mentioned in the song. Which ones feel like they could be describing your life?

SoulFULL
Written by Ginger Tabot

When the movie's over and the song is done 
When the game is finished, even when I've won 
When the party all goes home
And I'm left sitting here alone
When the bottle's empty and the buzz is gone 
When the arms that held me went all wrong 
When I reach the highest peak
And something's missing deep inside me

I wanna be SoulFULL of love, 
SoulFULL of light, 
SoulFULL of life I wanna live, 
I want to be SoulFULL

When I've prayed so hard there's nothing left to say 
And everything around me still looks the same 
When I'm at the end of my rope
I don't know where else I could go
When it's dark and dry in this emptiness 
Wrestling with my heart, this discontent
I can't take the same
Even if it's me that needs to change

I wanna be SoulFULL of love, 
SoulFULL of light, 
SoulFULL of life I wanna live, 
I want to be SoulFULL

Living water flood my soul, quench my thirst, make me whole 
Drown the darkness and the ache, wash it all away, oh, away, oh 
Work play sleep, repeat. 
Work play sleep, repeat
Work play sleep, repeat. 
Repeat

I wanna live, I wanna be, I wanna live,
I wanna be, I wanna live, I wanna be

I want to be SoulFULL of love, 
SoulFULL of light, 
SoulFULL of life
I wanna live, I want to be SoulFULL, 
SoulFULL 
I wanna be SoulFULL
I wanna live, 
I want to be SoulFULL