Developing a Spiritual Hunger

Is your spiritual hunger leading you to pursue God Himself or only His blessings?

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

“If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” (Exodus 33:12).

There’s a story told about a young man who bravely approached the famous Greek philosopher, Socrates, with the desire to become a wise scholar. To his dismay, Socrates led him to a lake and held his head underwater until he struggled for air. At that moment, Socrates asked the young man what he wanted most, to which the young man replied “air,” illustrating that to truly desire wisdom, one must want it as desperately as they need to breathe; only then is a person ready to truly learn.

Do you desire to know God like that? What lengths would you go to know Him? Just as the young man approached Socrates to glean wisdom, we must also want to cultivate a relentless desire for more of God, akin to our need for air. The problem with many people today is that they want God’s blessings for their job, marriage, or family and are less interested in knowing Him for who He is. Spiritual hunger isn’t just about wanting blessings—it’s about yearning for the presence of God Himself.

We can also misinterpret our spiritual hunger as a desire for relationships, achievements, or worldly comforts. This longing for other things will only temporarily satisfy us and ultimately leave our greatest need—a hunger for God Himself—unfulfilled. Just like junk food, indulging in life’s pleasures will leave us malnourished and never truly satisfied.

We see a poignant reminder of this in the story of Exodus when the Hebrew people turn their backs on God to satisfy their desires with earthly pleasures and idols. God, angered by their rebellion, is ready to destroy them, but Moses intercedes for them, reminding God of His covenant with them. Moses found favor in God’s sight because he truly desired to know God (Exodus 33:12). His spiritual hunger led to a deeper relationship with God, so he could face trials such as this. We also need to develop that same hunger, passion, and desire for God over any success, relationship, or material blessing.

Recognizing and nurturing your spiritual hunger is key to experiencing the fullness of God’s presence in your life. Here are some reflective questions to get started:

• What are some ways I can deepen my spiritual hunger and desire for God?
• How can I distinguish between seeking God’s blessings versus seeking His presence in my life?
• What are some “junk foods” in my life that are distracting me from nourishing my soul with God’s presence?

Listen to the sermon: I Want More here

Part 1Part 2

Ministry Update from Mark

This past September, I had the privilege of co-teaching with Dr. Joseph Stowell at key sites in Turkey, Greece, and Italy related to the life and missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul, as outlined in the book of Acts. At one of the sites, I taught out of Acts 16 in the theater of ancient Philippi where the Apostle Paul planted the first church on what is now the European continent. Here, Paul cast the spirit of divination out of the slave girl, was put in prison, and then was set free by an angel. Paul then had the privilege of leading the Philippian jailer and his family to Christ and baptizing them.

What a profound moment in church history!