Hunger/Fulfillment

Mid-January, and there are still remnants of Christmas candy around the house!  Even though a few morsels remain, the peanut brittle, fruitcake, delights from a Harry & David gift box, and a myriad of chocolate confections no longer clutter the kitchen counter. I was even craving a peanut cluster yesterday… Well, not quite that strong, but I would have eaten one if it was on the counter.

Amidst this type of abundance from the holidays, I came across a verse of Scripture-

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NIV

I paused when I pulled this verse from a promise box that sits next to my bathroom sink.

Some questions immediately came to mind that morning.  “On a scale from 1 to 10, how hungry are you for righteousness?” “By the way, do you even have a hunger for a holy life?”

Honestly, when I thought about my hunger for “righteousness” on a 10- point scale, that morning I was at a 3.

I made sure I looked up some key words in this verse to mine out the true meaning behind what was written. Happy is a person who craves to live a virtuous, pure life -- a life that is full of integrity, in one’s thoughts and actions. Why?  Because, a person will be satisfied and fulfilled when his/her desire for righteousness is fervent.

Maybe you have noticed that when your hunger for righteousness is low, other desires begin to nudge your focus from True North.  You know -- the appetites for ambition, feeling significance or importance, the desire for influence, for fame, for money, or for someone to hear your point of view, to lust, etc…

“God, I don’t have a hunger for you.  Why is that?” The transparent confession was coupled with the question, “Why?” And, one step further,  “How do I get this hunger? ”Sometimes it is definitely there, but that day…hmm…, well, not so much.

“Ask Me for it.”

Yes, I think that is what I heard. Pragmatically speaking, I don’t want to raise a question without offering answers. More Bible reading, prayer, or even solitude won’t replace vulnerably approaching God and humbly requesting that He give you something He already wants to give.

So, I asked Him. I’ll keep on asking!

Satisfied (not a complacent kind, but a rich fulfilled kind).  I can’t explain it, but the hunger is there, and the hunger isn’t from me – hunger like that isn’t natural.