Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Hunger (07/04/24)
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TITLE: Craving the Mirror Image | Previous Challenge Entry
By Barbara Culler
07/10/24 -
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ADD TO MY FAVORITES
At my first encounter with said procedure, I was clueless about the misery one must endure for a good reading. It left me wanting. Consuming four quarts of lemon-flavored seawater, a restricted diet followed by fasting caused nausea, yet craving starchy food and ice-cold soda. Forced to camp near the ladies’ room, I felt as gutted as the Wizard of Oz’s scarecrow following the attack of the Wicked Witch of the West’s flying monkeys.
When it was all said and done, the actual test was tolerable. But it left me feeling weak, embarrassingly sore, and starving for carbohydrates. Before returning home to sleep off the remaining sedation, my driver and I stopped for a meal. You would think I’d not eaten in a week — I had a voracious appetite and thirst. That condensation-covered glass of iced tea and a stack of banana nut pancakes drenched in pecan-flavored syrup disappeared in minutes.
A little while later, with my tummy satiated, I settled for a nap, thanking God that all was well. As sleep came upon me, the thought came to mind: how much do I hunger for God?
Upon awakening two hours later, the question still tugged at my heart. As a Christian, I attended church, read my Bible, and served in various areas. Wasn’t that good enough? Realizing that I did not wholeheartedly crave the things of God, the seeking began.
In researching the question, I discovered that hungering for God entails dying to self. For example, in preparing for the colonoscopy, a gallon of a vile-tasting concoction was consumed. Although not dying, I felt miserable as the medication did its job. It was unpleasant but required for cleansing my insides, so there was a clear pathway to scope out unwanted growths.
Sometimes, I must experience trials and tribulations so that God can flush out my ungodly attitudes and behaviors. They are disagreeable, painful, and humiliating but necessary.
Like desiring healthier food choices for weight loss, I must crave pure spiritual food. Likewise, the junk food I consume will not result in pounds lost, and spiritual growth cannot happen until I spend more time with God. Unlike drinking salinated water for my medical procedure, God’s living water will never increase my thirst but satisfy my yearnings for Him.
At my current age, I’ve chosen to forgo future misery-inducing procedures and utilize alternative tests. However, as I’ve matured, my appetite for God has increased. Now, there’s a longing for His presence, especially for my heavenly home. Jesus is my best friend, and I strive to mirror Him until the day I can see Him face to face.
“Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 NASB
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