The Point Of Hunger

I typically do not like the word hunger. Mostly because of how much the Charismatic Church uses it.

Now, hunger eventually does get filled.

The whole point of hunger is becoming fully satisfied. At least that’s what Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount:

“How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6, The Passion Translation)

We’ve operated of the mindset of “being hungry” from a place of being deficient in our walk with God.

Herein lies our problem …

Hunger should never be provoked from a place of lack needing something from the Father.

I believe that Dr. Simmons of the Passion Translation translated beautifully when he used the word crave.

I believe that to crave means that we want to go deeper into what we have already placed into: Union with God.

How can one hunger for more with something they have already been filled with?

Paul said in Colossians 2:9-10, “For he is the complete fullness of deity living in human form. And our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!”

“Completely filled”, Paul’s says. Filled with the fullness of Jesus so much that it actually flows out of us effortlessly.

You and I are completely filled with God. Our Abba didn’t just sprinkle a little of Himself in there. He poured all of who He is. Every substance of Himself into us. You cannot get any more full than you are now.

But …

You can go much deeper in your understanding and experience of the more you’ve been given in Christ.

Now, I am okay with people speaking of hunger as long as it doesn’t come from a place of believing we have to “get hungry more of God.”

We’ve prostituted hunger and have created a marathon to obtain the “more of God.”

People shout, “We want more of you God!” I get the sentiment, but I can picture Jesus standing in the corner jokingly saying, “What am I here for then?”

Abba, said to me once, “Jason, there is nothing wrong with hunger as long as it doesn’t come from a place of lack or deficiency.”

I don’t crave righteousness because I don’t possess it. I crave it because I know what it feels like to have Abba declare that over me and lavish me with His goodness.

For me, thirsting for righteousness is to go deeper in what is already true about my reality, and in my experience of being the righteousness of God in Christ. This is not my futile attempt at trying to earn it. It is my fiery passion to experience more of the love of Abba and to see righteousness manifest in every single area of my life.

Paul says in Romans 3, “But now independently of the law, the righteousness of God is tangible and brought to light through Jesus The Anointed One.” (Romans 3:21-22)

So, without our own contribution, righteousness became a tangible reality in our life. And we only know what it looks like because Jesus is and he has transferred it into us freely.

If we can earn this righteousness, then it isn’t the real righteousness of God, it’s our own version of it that religion has caused us to believe.

This true righteousness reveals our true identity while the law breeds sin-consciousness.