November 7 - Spiritual Hunger

“One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet”. It is not the taste of food that is at stake, it is the degree of one’s hunger that determines whether one goes for more or disdains food. The intake of food depends on how hungry one is and the same can apply to our spiritual appetite for the food of God, His Word.

The scheme of the enemy is to have us filled with the things of this world, whether they be money, sex or power. Thieves come to steal, kill and destroy, taking away what is rightfully ours, thus creating a void or a need in our lives. In an attempt to satisfy our void in life, we then grab anything that is not good for us in order to feel satisfied. The problem with modern man is not that they do not have but they have too much of the wrong stuff. Our minds are constantly filled with images, voices and ideas of the world, offering us temporary relief but of no eternal benefit. Virtual realities from the Internet have taken our attention, leading us further into the realm of the unreal.

Are you filled today? If you are not filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, you are then filled with things that have filled up your soul, leaving your spirit empty. Your mind can be stimulated, your emotions can be stirred and your will can be motivated but to no avail. Your spirit is still detached from the Giver of Life and the ultimate “I AM”. Apart from a hunger for God and everything eternal, we can find no rest or fulfillment in this life.

Very few of us could comprehend the words of the psalmist about his desire for the Word: “I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments.” “My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.” What conviction, what spiritual hunger for the Word of God! He longs for the Word and the commandments of God because they give light and impart understanding to the simple. They can keep him on the right path and allow him to overcome iniquity. Although others are not keeping God’s law, he holds on to the Word.

How hungry are you spiritually? If there is no desire and need for God’s Word, you might have been filled by other things. The loss of spiritual appetite is a sure sign of being filled with the things of the world. What are you trying to fill yourself with these days -- your work, your family, relationships, church activities, the Internet, Face Book, community work? In the end, nothing can replace God and His Word in your life. Any dependence on things or people or activities could bring you into addiction. Only the Word can bring you back on the right path and help you overcome the sins in your life. The choice is yours: junk food or spiritual food?