In the natural, after we’ve had something to eat we become full and, in my case, very happy. It’s a simple process and one that always blesses my heart. But when dealing with spiritual hunger, I’ve discovered things to be quite a bit different. You see, the more God pours into our lives (of His love, His grace, His Spirit) the more our hunger for Him increases -- It’s this place of fullness, yet still desiring for more -- and I believe that God wants to increase our hunger for Him and pour out even greater measures of Himself in and through our lives.
My hunger began to grow from a place of brokenness. Something that I had been praying for for a number of years had completely fallen apart and I didn’t know what to do. I began to cry out for God, and as I did, this simple prayer began to well up within me: “Lord, give me a greater hunger for You.” All I knew was that there was more of Him and that I had to have it. But within that process I found out that there’s always more of God and that our hunger for Him only burns brighter as He continually pours of Himself into our lives.
God has so much more for us to discover (gifts that He’s placed within us, promises in His word that we’ve yet to lay claim to, a deeper understanding of who we are and Who’s we are as His sons and daughters) and I believe He’s calling us to pursue Him for nothing less than everything that He came and died for us to have. God wants to bring you to a place of increase -- of having an increased measure of His presence resting upon your life, for ears to hear His voice over every situation, for His word to begin to burn within you, creating a greater hope and expectation for His goodness, and that most of all, to create a greater hunger and passion for the endless pursuit of His heart.
From this place of increase is where our lives begin to overflow. What I mean by that is that everything God has poured in begins to pour out, and without even realizing it, what we carry on the inside begins to transform the circumstances that surround us. People need healing, hearts need to be restored back to the Father, lives need to be changed through an encounter with Him, and through our lives, God can begin to work miracles. In Matthew 10:8 Jesus tells us to, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give…”. God’s heart is to see people set free and He wants to move through our lives so that “on earth as it is in heaven” can become a reality.
So would you pray this simple prayer with me?
Lord, we pray for a greater hunger for You. Give us a greater desire to seek after all that You are. I pray for increase. For an increased measure of Your Holy Spirit and for an increased measure of Your grace, so that we can be and do all that You’ve called us to be and do. We love You, Lord. Amen.
RYAN BEASLEY
Ryan is a leader, drummer and worshipper who serves with our Music Team.
