I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For: Faith, Longing, and Finding Joy in the Messy Middle

In this episode, I'm getting personal and sharing a discovery that felt like a gift at exactly the right time. While clearing out my closet in search of structure and calm, I found my old portable CD player from 1997, still loaded with U2's "The Best Of 1980-1990." When track four started playing, I was instantly transported back to grad school and reminded of my personal theme song: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." This episode is about longing, faith, and finding joy in the messy middle of life. I dive deep into why this song became a favorite. I explorie its spiritual roots and what Bono meant when he called it "a gospel song with a restless spirit." We'll look at the biblical references woven throughout the lyrics, including what I consider a powerful connection to Jesus's cry on the cross in Matthew 27:46. I share three key insights this song offers us in 2026: that joy isn't dependent on having everything figured out, that faith and longing are powerful motivators, and that being a spiritual person means staying curious, questioning, and engaged, even when things feel hard. In this episode, we cover: The discovery of my 1997 CD player and how "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" became my theme song The story behind U2's song and Bono's intention to explore theological themes in rock music How the lyrics mirror the tension of living with faith and integrity in the messy middle The connection between the song and Jesus's cry "Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?" from Matthew 27:46 Why joy is found in the journey, not the destination, and how to look for it in small moments How faith and longing work together as wayfinding emotions that jumpstart us toward joy What it truly means to be a spiritual person: staying curious, questioning, and engaged rather than blindly following Resources: U2 - " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For " (1987 original version) U2 - " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For " (gospel choir version) Jump Start Your Joy on Apple Podcasts Jump Start Your Joy on Spotify Website: jumpstartyourjoy.com Instagram: @jumpstartyourjoy Email: jumpstartyourjoy @gmail.com Keywords: theme song, U2, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, faith and doubt, spiritual journey, joy in the messy middle, longing, Christian spirituality, gospel music, Bono, Joshua Tree album, finding joy, spiritual practice, faith and questioning, religious exploration, personal growth, mindfulness, hope, Matthew 27:46, Psalm 22, living with intention, Nancy Meyers aesthetic, decluttering, self-discovery, INFJ, Yale Divinity School, religious studies, paradox, tension, wayfinding emotions

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I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For: Faith, Longing, and Finding Joy in the Messy Middle is an episode from Jump Start Your Joy by Paula Jenkins.

This episode is 29:38 long.

This episode was published on Jan 19, 2026.

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