As human beings, we do what we need to ensure our survival-we eat, sleep, enjoy, and learn. We form relationships, live in houses, invest our energy and our time in jobs and careers, and we buy cars to get us safely where we want to go. If our environments aren’t giving us a sense of safety and reward, we grow unhappy and restless. Most of us will take this dissatisfaction and use it to change what isn’t working and alter what isn’t providing us with what we feel we need.
As spiritual beings, our need to survive often takes second even third place in our lives. We ignore the word of God and starve; we hide from our relationship with God and suffer from a sense of isolation and depression; we do not rest in his presence and burn out; we do not rejoice in the Lord and enjoy his presence, and we complain we are empty but make excuses for not studying the Word. We spend our time and money “furnishing a house that will decay” and ignore the house of the Lord.
So why do we do that? Sometimes I think because the things of the Spirit aren’t as tangible, I pay more attention to what I can see and feel - the things that I can have more control over. You see, if I am cold, I can put on a coat. If I am hungry, I can go to the store, buy food, and prepare it. If I am lonely, I can call a friend and talk. These things seems so easy and natural to do.
It can be harder when transferring these needs to the spiritual. My natural man fights for control – fights to be in charge. But what happens when we begin to believe that satisfying the inner man can become just as natural as feeding the outer one?
If when I am cold – feeling apathetic and hopeless – I can wrap myself up with the warmth and energy of His Spirit.
If when I am hungry – feeling empty and unsatisfied - I can feed on the substance of His Word.
If when I am lonely – feeling isolated and distant - I can draw close to His love and the love of His people.
As spiritual beings, our need to survive often takes second even third place in our lives. We ignore the word of God and starve; we hide from our relationship with God and suffer from a sense of isolation and depression; we do not rest in his presence and burn out; we do not rejoice in the Lord and enjoy his presence, and we complain we are empty but make excuses for not studying the Word. We spend our time and money “furnishing a house that will decay” and ignore the house of the Lord.
So why do we do that? Sometimes I think because the things of the Spirit aren’t as tangible, I pay more attention to what I can see and feel - the things that I can have more control over. You see, if I am cold, I can put on a coat. If I am hungry, I can go to the store, buy food, and prepare it. If I am lonely, I can call a friend and talk. These things seems so easy and natural to do.
It can be harder when transferring these needs to the spiritual. My natural man fights for control – fights to be in charge. But what happens when we begin to believe that satisfying the inner man can become just as natural as feeding the outer one?
If when I am cold – feeling apathetic and hopeless – I can wrap myself up with the warmth and energy of His Spirit.
If when I am hungry – feeling empty and unsatisfied - I can feed on the substance of His Word.
If when I am lonely – feeling isolated and distant - I can draw close to His love and the love of His people.
Lord of my humanness, help me to turn my affections toward You. I look to You for hope, for satisfaction, and for peace.
Check out: Hebrews 10:19-25
Check out: Hebrews 10:19-25
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