Learn to Hunger

 Be ok with the things of life that give you:

A lump in the throat because you can't have what you wanted...You put in so much effort and it still blew apart...You have daily unanswered prayers.

A gnawing in the pit of the stomach for more. More rest. More peace. Answers. Light and Joy.

Longings. Cravings. Hunger. Learn to sit with these uncomfortable things. Not for punishment or pity or exaltation or attention. But for wonder. What does God want to fill me with if I turn all those things over to Him each time they appear. For praise...turn your eyes upon Jesus. For trust...The Mighty Right hand of God. He goes before you. He is doing a work we don't have eyes on. He does tho. Trust Him to fight your battles for You.

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It's not fun. It's not easy. It takes practice. But here's a thing I'm learning...If you can be strong and very courageous, moving forward in faith, and also by the power of the Holy Spirit, you can recognize sooner when you have a gnawing in your stomach; that this is a spot of something you need Jesus to touch. Don't just fall into the habits of busyness, eating food, and entertainment. First see if that emptiness might be a signal from God to work on something going on in your heart of hearts.

Be careful with others. They too have insecurities and hunger spots they are not always willing to divulge or share. Sometimes they will do anything but look at their empty feelings and anxious behavior. You can't make them. But what you can do is give them to God. Pray for them. Constantly. Love them and forgive them. 

Learn to sit with the ugly, hungry, and complicated. because you really don't have to do one thing. You don't have to be afraid of feeling their pain with them. It's good to be caring and compassionate, but you aren't the Fixer. So pray with them and for them. Then turn their attention to Jesus. After that it's up to them to grab hold or not.

I have been already to the place of compassion where it seemed I could be more like Jesus if I felt as bad as the broken person I was having compassion on. If I got in the mud with them and was dragged down with them and their burden, this would somehow make me more righteous and better at compassion.

That isn't really productive for the Kingdom. It's just stuck on self and performances. I think the Kingdom of God wants our willingness and compassion but mostly it wants God's righteousness to shine on our messes. Of course, we won't know what that is if we don't spend time talking to Jesus and reading the Word.