Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. [simple_tooltip content=’1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.’](Matthew 5:1-9)[/simple_tooltip]
In the natural world, we often eat even when we aren’t hungry. All we have to do is turn sideways and look at ourselves in the mirror to prove this! In the spiritual realm, however, we must be hungry to be fed. One of the worst things that can happen to us is to become spiritually complacent.
Being hungry for the things of God is one of the best things that can happen to you. Most believers don’t feel that way. They would rather have the feeling of being full and content all the time, but Jesus promised us fullness if we would first hunger. He said, “No hunger, no fullness.”
Therefore, what many of us dislike is actually a sign of spiritual health. Longing for more of God is a healthy sign. We never hunger for God on our own. That is not a function of our fallen nature. Only our born-again spirits can hunger for more of God under the unction of the Spirit of God in us. [simple_tooltip content=’44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.’](John 6:44)[/simple_tooltip] It is the Spirit in us who draws us by giving us an insatiable appetite for everything God is and has for us.
Hungering for God doesn’t cause God to move in your life; it is a sign He is already at work in you. Today, praise Him for spiritual hunger, and be encouraged and excited when you experience it. He won’t make you hungry and then let you starve. He will make you hungry so He can fill you with His wisdom and blessings and love.
