Last night I went to a restaurant with my husband. I’m a cook-at-home girl normally, but we were on our way home from a beautiful prayer retreat. After we ate, the server came to our table.
“Are you interested in dessert?”
No way.
Where would I put it after eating from the over sized platter of food?
It just makes sense. When you are full, you stop eating.
Which means when you are empty, you start.
So the opposite of spiritual hunger.
When we are empty spiritually, we often don’t eat.
Because we don’t feel it. Perhaps we think God is far away. We are waiting for our hunger to spark up, or something significant to take place spiritually that revs up our appetite.
But that’s when we need it most. We eat in spite of what we feel. It may take a day. It may take weeks. But slowly the inner man starts getting the signal that nourishment is now part of the routine and this is the most beautiful part of all. . . this is where it’s the exact opposite of physical hunger.
When you start getting full, you want more.
You have tasted Jesus and it is good. Your soul is awakening to the possibilities of relationship. You begin to hear His voice, perhaps just a whisper.
The more you eat, the more your spiritual soul begins to crave. It’s no longer a ritual or a tradition, or something you’re supposed to do.
Instead it’s part of who you are.
Maybe in this third week, you’re still showing up daily with your journal, and your Bible, and your carved-out quiet space with Jesus, and you don’t feel hungry.
This is not the time to give up.
It’s when we feel the most empty that our soul hungers the most for what Jesus offers.
Take our your journal. Read the following scriptures. Spend just a few moments in meditation over these scriptures (just be still). Let that inner “man” receive nourishment. Journal your thoughts. Share them here if you wish.
Luke 11:9 “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; [knock], and it shall be opened to you.”
Mat 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.
In Rev. 3 it is Christ doing the knocking toward His church:
Rev 3:20 ‘Behold , I stand at the door and [knock]; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” [A two-way street]
Prov 2:1-6 My son, if you will receive my sayings, And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, And discover the knowledge of God. {6} For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth knowledge and understanding.
I am in awe and I am blessed. Blessings. ..Diana
Oh Lord God, Thank you for this study and the way that You are using it to comfort, reassure and grow me! I want to share this song called “Oceans” by Hillsong United. I heard it for the 1st time last week and it has just touched my heart so much. I listen to it everyday as I sit in quiet with God, usually after I finish my journal time, it is a great song and I think it goes hand in hand with what we are learning.
Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Renee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ-kxZs3emw&list=FLNuoplENGB0fEtUz62VmPnQ&index=1
What an amazing God, all we have to do is turn to Him and ask. He is always there, ready to listen. Blessed
I love putting these thoughts into my journal. In the writing I am reminded again of God’s goodness as I listen to his whisper, I am drawn deeper into His love.