Thirsting for God: Why It Matters and How to Feel It

A few years ago, I read the book Drawing Near by John Bevere, and one chapter discussed preserving our thirst for God. From that, I came to understand why many Christians have a shallow relationship with God, and are not even interested in becoming more intimate with Him.

Imagine yourself attending the wedding of a friend held at a luxurious hotel with all kinds of delicious dishes. Not wasting the opportunity you taste everything. In short, you do not want to miss out. Once you arrive at home, you become reluctant to touch the food prepared by your family. You are no longer interested in other food, because your hunger has been satisfied.

Have you experienced a similar fullness in spiritual matters? What things make someone unwilling to come to God? And why is this thirst for God so important?

Thirsting for Blessings, or for God?

As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When may I come and behold God? – Psalm 42:1-2 

The writer of Psalm 42 had a hunger and thirst for God that was never satisfied. This psalm beautifully and fittingly describes his feelings well. Notice how he does not long for God to deliver him from life’s troubles. He also does not hope that God will spare him from disaster, or bring destruction on his enemies. The source of his thirst and hunger is God Himself.

How often do we instead hope that God will answer all our prayers and desires? We thirst for God to act to save us from uncertain circumstances. We hunger to see God at work bringing good into our lives. In other words, we long more for blessings and God’s promises than for Him Himself.

Thirst and hunger will drive you to do something to meet or satisfy what you need. So when you feel thirsty and hungry for God, there will not be a single thing that can keep you from drawing near to Him. Whether it is your mental, physical, or spiritual condition.

Satisfied by Material Things 

"And write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of God’s creation: I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either cold or hot! So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of My mouth. For you say: I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. – Revelation 3:14-17 

The church in Laodicea lacked nothing in terms of material things. The problem was that they allowed those material aspects to satisfy their souls.

But is it really true that physical things can satisfy or fill our thirst and hunger for God?

King David had many servants and much wealth. At the end of his life, he left behind 3,400 tons of gold, nearly 34,000 tons of silver, as well as iron and bronze beyond measure (1 Chronicles 22:14). Yet, in Psalm 86:1, David describes himself as someone who is poor and needy.

Incline Your ear, O LORD, answer me, for I am poor and needy. – Psalm 86:1

David regarded himself as destitute even though he lived among heaps of gold and silver. Why? Because what he needed was not material wealth, but rather the need for God! Yes, David deeply longed for God’s answer. He thirsted and hungered for intimacy in his relationship with God. And he did not let physical things satisfy the hunger of his soul.

Have material possessions and the things of this world already made you satisfied? Have your busyness, work, hobbies, spouse, or your boyfriend or girlfriend, satisfied you so that you no longer have a thirst for God?

So I look upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. – Psalm 63:2

The Laodicean church had wealth far less than David’s, yet their souls had already been filled by material things. As a result, they no longer had the desire to build a more intimate relationship with God.

Do not let anything satisfy you so much that you no longer thirst and hunger for God. Let us satisfy the thirst of our souls by coming to Him.

God, the Eternal Quencher of Thirst

For He satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things. – Psalm 107:9 

The book Drawing Near describes how we feed our physical bodies every day. Without food intake, with all the activity we do, by the end of the day our bodies will collapse. The same is true of our spiritual body. If we only satisfy ourselves with physical things, over time our hunger and thirst for God will fade and weaken.

David understood that only God could quench the thirst of his soul. When we are satisfied in God, we will be moved to seek Him again. We will have the desire and longing to be near Him. We will read the Word every day, pray every day, and do His will. Through these things, God brings good to us.

On the other hand, God also deeply desires to fill us with His goodness. But His goodness cannot satisfy us if we have already been filled by other things.

Therefore, as we enter the year 2021, let us learn to have a thirst and hunger for God! God bless!

-

Reference: John Bevere. Drawing Near: A Life of Intimacy with God (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004). www.id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talenta

Related Articles:

• 3 Things That Make God Say, “I Will”
• 3 Things About Following God
• Wise With Time: Make Every Moment Count
• Waiting for Help That Seems Impossible
• What Kind of Heart Does God Desire?

-