Hunger through Suffering

As I was communing with the Lord tonight, He spoke to me concerning the things which I am suffering, namely, having a full time job while my heart yearns to be with Him full time in intercession and discovering the Heart of God. A couple hours a day is awesome, but it isn’t always enough.

So often I leave work simply desperate to be with Him — this is someone who used to be lukewarm, cold, and indifferent. I have prayed for hunger.

The Lord told me that He is teaching me to hunger through these (extremely minor in an absolute sense, yet still very real on the heart level) sufferings. And through my hunger, He is teaching me obedience:

I will prompt you and lead you to find the place of rest and refreshing that I have set up for you. But if you ignore My promptings, you will miss the time of visitation and will not be able to find that place. Be alert, and have your heart open to enter in to My presence.

And little things like that. So,

Suffering -> Hunger -> Obedience

Which takes us to the scripture:

Hebrews 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

The Simplicity of Yearning

Gentle reader, please slow down.

In the frantic pace of life, it is often difficult to hear the still small voice of the Father. Count the cost, establish your priorities, and spend some time with Him.

Simplify.

In Psalm 42, the sons of Korah write:

Psa 42:1
To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation (Maschil) of the sons of Korah.
AS the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
Psa 42:2
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

So often when I read the Psalms, I assumed that the writers were only crying out to God to fix their circumstances. Now I realize that the adverse circumstances in life cause our hunger to intensify (if we have developed hunger), and cry out to God… so that we may see Him, touch Him, and drink Him in.

We must enter into the holy of holies of yearning… not for stuff (outer courts), not just for sign/wonders/anointing/ministry (the holy place), but for the Most Holy Place… Jesus Himself. We must long for Him because of who He is, simply and fundamentally.

If you have Misty Edwards’ Relentless CD, I suggest you pop it in, and play “Dove’s Eyes” a few times while you consider these things… It’s what I was listening to (on repeat) while I was thinking about writing this post.

For those who don’t have the cd yet, here’s the words:

I don’t want to talk about You like You’re not in the room
I want to look right at You I want to sing right to You

I believe that You are listening
I believe that You move at the sound of my voice

Give me dove’s eyes

Give me undistracted devotion for only You

Trusting in His goodness

I’m in a little bit of a tough spot right now because of transitions at work, and a lot of things are up in the air.

I am holding on and trusting in the Lord in spite of tears and uncertainty:

Psa 32:6	For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him.
Psa 32:7	You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
Psa 32:8	I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.
Psa 32:9	Do not be like the horse or like the mule, Which have no understanding, Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, Else they will not come near you.

Isa 58:11

The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Jhn 16:12	“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
Jhn 16:13	“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.