Do you ever worry that if you don’t desire God more than anything else, all the time, from the bottom of your heart – there’s something wrong with you?
Don’t fall into that trap! The first step in thirsting for God is wanting to thirst for Him. But if you have trouble getting that “wanting” from your head down into your heart, don’t worry. You can acquire the desire – just as a you can acquire a desire for coffee or fine wine or classical music.
When I first started drinking coffee, I wanted to drink it. It smelled good. People I knew loved it, got together to drink it. I wanted to be part of that. Then there was that promise of pick-me-up….
Problem was, it didn’t always taste good. I drank it now and then, but not often. I wanted to in my head, but the taste buds weren’t cooperating. What did I do? I kept drinking it with my friends. I tried different blends, tried it with milk and cream and sugar. Pretty soon I was drinking it every day. Now it’s the first thing I go for when I wake up, after my prayers! When the clock strikes 10 am, I head for the coffee pot. When I travel, I pick the motel closest to Starbucks. What used to be a wish, has become a desire that drives me.
How can I acquire a desire for God?
Start seeking God’s presence, and ask Him to order your desires for you. Pray often. Delight yourself in him, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Read Psalm 37:4).
Read that again slowly, let it sink in: Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart: He will give you even the desires themselves.
“Take delight.” That’s a command we can obey, regardless of our heart! Seek him like I sought that coffee. Spend time with him alone, with others. Read your Bible. Go to daily mass. Schedule a regular time for Adoration. Practice the things you see David do in the Psalms: you don’t need to wait for Lent, to set aside other things you’ve set your heart on, that you fill yourself with, that you hang onto for security (but that don’t ultimately pay off). Practice seeking after God instead.
Jesus said, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (Jn 7:38) – not just water to quench your own thirst, but enough to flow out to others as well.
“Take delight in the Lord.” Practice being in his presence, practice drinking him in. And watch him fill you with joy!
©2015 Sarah Christmyer. All rights reserved.
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This is last in a series of posts on Thirsting for God and how the Psalms teach us to reach out in thirst to the One who can satisfy.
Click here for the first post: Thirsting for God
Wow! This couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve been struggling with health issues and yesterday my buddie insisted we sneak away and go fly fishing–use to be one of my favorite passions. It turned out to be a gorgeous day but I was having trouble with the slippery stream bed. Finally I found a big rock and sat down. I looked around at the beautiful stream, my buddy fishing on a magazine picture perfect stream and a slight breeze in a spring day that emended me of the scripture passage where God spoke to the prophet with the wind. We weren’t catching any fish but I thanked the Lord for the blessed day, opportunity and getting me outside. Then I said to him, Lord please help us have a good day and if it be your will, help us catch fish. We spent another hour or more with no luck then took a break. We sat and just watched the river go by enjoying the beauty of Gods creation. Thanking him. Then we saw some fish rising to a hatch of insects. We slowly reentered the stream and had one of our best days ever getting a strike or catching and releasing a fish on almost every cast for over 2 hours. It was a blessed day and my physical problems melted away. I feel I’ve turned the corner on getti better. Thank you Lord.