Episode Summary
What happens when our appetite for spiritual experiences outweighs our hunger for God Himself? In this episode, Nate Labadorf takes listeners on a surprising and convicting journey through the concept of spiritual gluttony—a term borrowed from St. John of the Cross’s Dark Night of the Soul, but one that hits close to home for many modern believers. From the story of Emory Tutman—a man whose physical weight once kept him out of jail—to the subtle, heavy burden of consuming faith without being changed by it, this episode explores what it means to be overfed but undernourished in our spiritual lives.
Spiritual gluttony isn’t about eating too much; it’s about devouring religious content, emotional highs, and powerful moments of worship while avoiding surrender, obedience, and spiritual transformation. Nate unpacks how this impulse masquerades as devotion but ultimately becomes a barrier to intimacy with God. Drawing from both classical spiritual wisdom and modern psychology, he reveals how impulsive consumption—whether physical or spiritual—creates dependency, disappointment, and disillusionment. This episode holds a mirror to the heart of every believer who has ever felt spiritually dry and wondered, “Why doesn’t this feel like it used to?”
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Nate begins by grounding the conversation in the unforgettable story of Emory Tutman—a man who lost hundreds of pounds in a Turkish bath to avoid prison, only to become an icon of transformation. Using this as a parable, he compares Emory’s dramatic weight loss to the process of shedding the spiritual weight we carry from over-consuming religious experiences without digesting them into real change. We’re not just talking about addiction to food here—we’re talking about the craving for constant emotional stimulation in our faith: the perfect worship song, the next inspiring sermon, the conference high that keeps us going. These aren’t inherently bad, but when they become the goal rather than God Himself, something crucial gets lost.
In segment one, Nate walks through Chapter VI of Dark Night of the Soul, where St. John of the Cross introduces “spiritual gluttony.” He describes those early in their spiritual journey who confuse the sweetness of divine presence with the presence of God Himself. Nate highlights John’s warning that when emotional highs fade—as they inevitably do—many believers panic, overcorrect, and become slaves to sensation rather than students of obedience. John tells us that this isn’t growth—it’s pride. Nate ties this to the modern Christian obsession with spiritual productivity: reading more, praying more, fasting harder, chasing more emotional highs—all the while missing the call to humility, trust, and patience.
The second segment explores the psychological and neurological parallels between overeating and spiritual overindulgence. Citing research from Deniz Atalayer and others, Nate shows how impulsivity, dopamine addiction, and the craving for stimulation drive both unhealthy eating and unhealthy spirituality. Just as binge eaters overconsume without nourishing the body, spiritual gluttons chase religious highs without cultivating a steady, surrendered life in Christ. The solution? Obedience, not indulgence. Discipline, not desire. And above all, the willingness to embrace the silence and dryness of the dark night—where God strips away the sweetness to reveal what our faith is truly made of.
Segment three turns to Scripture, walking through powerful biblical portraits of spiritual gluttony. From the Pharisees—experts in religion who missed God entirely—to Simon the Sorcerer, who tried to buy the Holy Spirit, Nate reveals a common thread: people who wanted the gifts of God without the cost of true surrender. He also reflects on Jesus’ rebuke of the crowds in John 6, who followed Him only for more bread. The warning is clear: when we chase after spiritual experiences instead of the Bread of Life Himself, we miss the point. We become consumers of Christianity instead of disciples of Christ.
Finally, in the last segment, Nate offers three clear and challenging action steps to identify and overcome spiritual gluttony. First, stop chasing the feeling—start seeking God. Second, submit to spiritual discipline, even when it’s bitter. Third, starve the flesh and feed the Spirit—not with more religious noise, but with quiet obedience and surrendered trust. The path to freedom isn’t through more consumption—it’s through less. Through hunger. Through longing. Through love for God that is steady, faithful, and unshaken by emotional drought.
This Episode Is for You If:
- You find yourself chasing emotional highs in worship or prayer
- Your spiritual life feels dry, and you’re wondering why
- You’ve consumed more sermons, studies, and content than you’ve had time to digest
- You feel addicted to religious experiences but untransformed in your day-to-day life
- You’re ready to move from spiritual consumerism to spiritual surrender
Practical Reflections and Action Steps
This week, take time to reflect on your spiritual “diet.” Are you stuffing yourself with spiritual input without leaving space to listen, respond, and obey? Try fasting—not just from food, but from spiritual noise. Turn off the podcast, close the devotional, and sit with Scripture alone. Let the silence do its work. Practice obedience even when you don’t feel inspired. Trust that God is just as present in dryness as He is in delight.
And if you’re struggling to feel connected to God, don’t panic. You’re not broken—you might be growing. Just as Emory Tutman locked himself in a Turkish bath to burn off the weight that held him back, sometimes we need to step away from the comforts we cling to and let God do the deeper work of transformation.
A Word of Hope
Spiritual hunger is not your enemy—it’s a compass. When you feel empty, frustrated, or dry, God may be leading you into a deeper intimacy than you’ve ever known. He’s calling you to stop tasting and start trusting. To stop consuming and start surrendering. To move from addiction to affection, from craving to communion. And on the other side of that surrender? A faith rooted not in feelings, but in God Himself.
Next Week’s Episode
Join us for Episode 9: The Twin Shadows—Spiritual Envy and Sloth. We’ll explore how envy and spiritual rivalry undermine our joy, distort our calling, and keep us from walking freely in grace. You don’t want to miss it.
Stay Connected
Visit freshgroundtheology.com for resources, past episodes, and guided reflections. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and consider leaving a review if this episode spoke to you. Know someone who’s constantly chasing the next spiritual high? Share this episode with them—it might be the invitation they need to come back to the source.
And as always, reach out to freshgroundtheology@gmail.com if you have reflections, questions, or stories to share.
Until next time, stay hungry—not for the feeling of God, but for God Himself.
Fresh Ground Theology 
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