March 22, 2001

A certain amount of ‘discomfort’ spiritually is not a bad thing.  But we need to understand the difference between what ‘discomfort’ will be beneficial to us and which is destructive.

A hunger or thirst for the things of God is a good and beneficial thing to us.  Just as in the natural when you are hungry you eat food and that food benefits your body.  If you ignored that hunger or tried to pray it away then a basic need would not be met and eventually you would die.

In the same way, hungering or thirsting after righteousness with God will benefit us.  It will bring us into that place with Him that we need to be and we will receive what we need to grow and become strong spiritually and profitable for Him.

Jesus said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6

He also said, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

We are to be hungry and thirsty for righteousness with Him.  We are to seek after His Kingdom.  Notice He says when we hunger and thirst after righteousness we will be filled.  God doesn’t want us to be starved.   He wants to fill us!  He wants our hunger to lead us to a place where we are filled.

This is where that "discomfort" can become destructive to us.  If we continually stay in that place of hunger without allowing ourselves to be filled by Him then we are not growing spiritually as we should and not profiting Him.

We are to hunger for Him but we must also partake of Him.  Many times our guilt or false humility keep us from allowing ourselves to receive from Him.   We think we need to stay in a place of sacrifice of some sort in order to show how much we really love Him.  But in reality, we need to receive from Him!  We need to partake of Him! If we don’t we won’t have the strength we need to do what He wants us to do.  And besides, He doesn’t want to see us suffer.

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. " Romans 14:17

Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost is strength to us just as meat and drink is to our physical body.  We partake of that righteousness when we partake of Jesus Christ.

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" 1 Corinthians 1:30

Jesus has been made righteousness to us.  We can and should partake of Him and of that righteousness.  Thank God that He wants to fill us, to feed us and to strengthen us.  There’s not anything we can do to deserve this righteousness.  No matter how much we pray, fast, worship, shout, clap etc.. (and all of those are good things), we don’t earn it.  We only receive it by receiving Jesus Christ.  And as long as we stay in Him and He in us, we remain righteous.

As we continue to hunger or desire to stay in a place of righteousness then we will continually be filled.  Our hunger is to be a continual desire to remain in that place of righteousness with Him.  As we do, He will continually fill us with that righteousness, and as a result, with His presence.