Those Who Are Hungry Are the Easiest to Feed
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6(NIV). That was my verse of the day last week, and when I read it, I thought, "What does that really mean?" Jesus was teaching the disciples about the characteristics his followers should have. He was telling them about the importance of their spiritual hunger. He even adds the promise of a blessing!
What is Spiritual Hunger and Thirst?
After a lot of reading, my best understanding of that verse is as follows: Come closer to living the life God wants you to have by building up your spiritual strength!
That led me to think about feeling completely satisfied.
How Can I Satisfy my Spiritual Hunger?
Do you ever struggle to feel satisfaction in your day or even a season?
I can think of a time when I did not feel satisfied. For years I told myself "maybe this summer I can just relax and enjoy the season with no issues." I love the summer and it's such a short season here. Can't it please be all lazy sunshine, gentle rains, and abundant flowers? Year after year, I told myself that this year was hopefully "the one." Cue the health issues, a son deployed to Iraq, deaths of family members, kids moving out, moving back…. it was a never-ending sense of frustration for me.
I wasn't satisfied. By the worldly definition, satisfaction is having a need, want, or desire met, or the pleasure/ sense of achievement you feel when you do something you wanted to do. They aren't a bad thing when kept in proper perspective. We have to eat. Our minds and bodies need to rest. We feel satisfied when our closets and drawers are finally tidy. It makes our jobs satisfying when we do well or achieve promotions, etc.
Signs of Spiritual Hunger
Do you wonder if you are spiritually hungry? Here are a few tell-tale signs:
•Feeling weary, tired
•Hope seems to be slipping away
•Life is filled with stress and anxiety
•Longing to feel satisfaction
Spiritual Hunger and Thirst
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Jesus was using the bodily cravings of hunger and thirst as analogies of having a strong desire for His blessings of pardon and peace. He alone can completely fill us to the brim.
Just as our body has appetites we satisfy with food, drink, and experiences, our soul has an "appetite" that only He can fill.
We all feel hunger and thirst. Sometimes those feelings have us prowling the cupboards for some snacks and reaching for something to drink.
When you are spending time with Jesus, are you grabbing a quick snack or drink to quench your spiritual needs, or are you starving for Him, filling yourself to the brim and feeling completely satisfied?
When I spent weeks bemoaning my less than perfect summer seasons, I was trying to satisfy my soul with worldly pleasures. My fears and worries showed that I didn't fully trust God in my life. Trying to fill up on earthly things always leaves us always wanting more and never feeling fully satisfied.
Pin me for later!
Hunger and Thirst for the Word of God
When we are physically hungry or thirsty, we eat or drink and feel satisfied. Later, those desires return and we need to eat and drink again. Have you noticed that the more you "feed" your soul with Him, it's the exact opposite? The more of Him you have, the more of Him you want.
That's the deep desire Jesus was talking about. So how do we feed our soul in this way?
As Christians, we all have the Holy Spirit living inside us. God doesn't give each of us more or less of the Spirit. We have him living inside us, and it is up to us to "feed" that spiritual appetite.
We do this by choosing daily to "set our minds" on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5). This is not an easy task, the world can be very distracting. Set your mind to partake in a feast of Jesus every day! Decide how you can use prayer, worship, study, music- whatever works- to completely stuff yourself with Him!
What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Hunger?
God wants to feed our souls!
Isaiah 55:1-6 are some beautiful verses that talk about satisfying our deepest soul appetite.
"On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink." John 7:37 (NIV)
"Listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the the richest of fare." Isaiah 55:2 (NIV)
"I am the bread of life; he who come to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst." John 6:35
"It is written, man does not live in bread alone, but in every word that comes from the mouth of God."Matthew 4:4 (NIV)
"Come, all you who are thirsty… Listen to me, and eat what is good…. Seek the Lord…. Call on him." He's waiting!
When you wake up tomorrow, you will be hungry and thirsty. While you're choosing your breakfast, reflect on what will satisfy your spiritual appetite as well. Let Him fill you, then go back for seconds or even thirds! That's where you will find true and lasting satisfaction.
Blessings,
AnnMarie
Photo Credit: Design Bundles
Source: https://busyblessedwomen.com/fill-your-spiritual-appetite/
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