It was one of the most difficult times in my life. I had people all around me, but I felt alone. I knew God loved me, but I didn't feel His presence with me as strongly as I previously had...and circumstances had worn me down so that I felt like I was only a shadow of myself.
I went to church each week longing to hear from God. My prayer as I sat listening to the message was, "Please speak to me even if it's something I don't want to hear." I craved to hear from God and it didn't matter whether it was something that was comforting (though that would have been nice) or something that would pierce my heart.
I just wanted to hear from Him.
I was hungry.
The difficult time passed. I learned several lessons in the storm, and God met all my needs spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I was very grateful to Him.
Fast forward to today.
Recently, I realized that I don't always approach a message from the pastor or my personal time with God with the same intensity that I did during that difficult time. Oh, I still want God to speak to me and direct my steps. (I even expect to hear from Him.)
But I don't always have that same fervent hunger as I did when I was going through the storm.
And I want to.
How about you?
Father, let me be just as hungry to hear You speak to me in the good times as I am in the difficult days I go through. Help me to step into church, and into my own personal times with You, with an eager, open heart ...ready to accept both comfort and correction from You. Give me a hunger to hear Your word, read Your word, and live out Your word in my life each day. And let the words that I hear and read, through your Holy Spirit, change me...change my life...and mold me into the person You intended for me to be so that I bring honor to You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matt. 5:6
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