STAY HUNGRY

PROVERBS 27:7 NKJ 
7 A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, 
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. 

I have not done a lot of grocery shopping over the 39 years of our marriage.  And now, with pickup and delivery, I rarely venture in.   

But I learned a great truth long ago loaded with amazing wisdom.  Ready?  Never go to the grocery store when you are hungry.  I know that's a deep thought, but if you ponder deeply about it and put it into practice, you can save a bunch of money.   

Whenever I went to the grocery store hungry, everything looked good.  Joy would send me with a list, and I would come back with all kinds of extra stuff that usually held very little nutritional value.  To the hungry soul, every junk food item is excellent.  When I went to the store full, it was easier for me to stick to the list.  Nothing looked particularly good, and that was reflected in the grocery bill.   

The same thing applies spiritually.  When we stay hungry for God and His word, everything's good.  We enjoy church, we enjoy our devotional times, reading the scriptures is refreshing.   

But when we're full, and not full of God's word but full of other stuff that may fill you but dulls down spiritual hunger, we are not as captivated with the things of God.   

But when we're hungry, sermons sound better (including mine), devotionals are more fun, and we keep a spiritual edge.  Hungry in this sense is good.   

APPLICATION 

Can you think of a time when you were spiritually hungry?  A time when every message hit home and your devotional times with the Lord were sweet? 

If you feel as if that was long ago and you can never regain that hunger, good news!  You can begin to stir up that hunger again.  You may want to fast a bit (refrain from a pleasurable activity i.e. food, internet, social media. . .) 

But whatever you need to do to get hungry again is worth the extra effort.  And if you will ask the Lord, He will help you.   

Stay hungry, my friend.   

PRAYER 

Lord, show me what to do to stir up that hunger in my heart for You and Your things.  Nothing else fills me as well as You.