Advent and Our Hunger for God

Peace and blessings!

As a way of preparing our hearts for the joy of Christmas, it is important to ask, "Are we hungry for God?" Do we truly desire God? My experience in ministry is sometimes we hunger more for what God can do through us than for God, Himself. If tomorrow God called you out of ministry, would you still find joy in just being with Jesus? Most of us would say, "Yes, of course!"

But we also need to look at our lives and say, "Is my answer to that question reflected in the decisions I make each day? Am I open to the Holy Spirit and His working in my life? Do I take time to pray each day? Am I striving for holiness? Am I doing it all for God or myself?"

Hunger for God is a gift. If we are constantly feeding on the world or even on our ministries to fill the emptiness within, we may never truly experience a deep hunger for God or ever be truly satisfied. During Advent, it is good for us to fast and pray. It is good for us to ask the Holy Spirit to help us clean out the junk of anxiety, ministry concerns, worldly desire, and self-love. In this self-emptying, we create more room for God to dwell and work in our lives.

I pray that each of us would hunger and strive for God more deeply this Advent. I pray the grace of the Holy Spirit would enable us to experience a deeper hunger for God. May God bless you, your family, and your ministry!