“Hunger For God’s Will”

Sometimes I can quickly profess agreement to the words of scripture …. “oh yes, that’s very true…I agree with that… I certainly believe and follow that”. While this is a good thing, at times I may be “kidding myself”. 

Today I read where Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.” (Jn 4:34) This is a beautiful statement of truth by the Lord. I tend to quickly say, “ why yes, same with me…. that’s my food also.” I want this to be true for me, but is it true for me? Is this really what I believe? Does the evidence support this in my life? Hmmmmmm.

Think about this. We eat when we’re hungry; sometimes we’re a bit hungry, other times we are very hungry. Sometimes our hunger will distract us, nag us, and just won’t let us rest until we get something to eat.  “Are you with me on this…..stay with me….. listen to this…..”  

Sometimes the Lord is after me to do something. I sense he wants me to reach out to someone, perhaps to serve someone, to ask forgiveness of someone, to give alms to someone, to send a letter, to go to Adoration, etc.  Until I actually decide to do what he says, I’m distracted and not fully peaceful…. it’s almost like I’m hungry.  I’m a bit out of sorts until I do what I believe the Lord wants me to do. My hunger won’t leave me until I do what God’s calling me to do…. until I do his will.  So in this sense, “my food is to do God’s will and to finish the work he’s called me to do.”

Until we do what God’s calling us to do, we will have this hunger…a hunger that motivates us to do his will. We shouldn’t resist this hunger, we should allow it to move us quickly and fully to do God’s will and complete the work he has for us…. to enjoy the great feast of doing the will of God.  “Mary pondered and did the will of God not reluctantly, but with her whole heart, in delight.” (Magnificat, 8-19-23) 

So where does this leave us ? To be honest my hunger to do God’s will needs to grow stronger. It needs to be the hunger of a starving man who hasn’t eaten for days… a hunger that compels me to embrace the will of God despite the obstacles. 

Lord help us to hunger more and more for your will and for the work you have for us. Help us to experience the delight in doing your will. The will of God is our food. May this hunger to do his will and complete the work he has for us, compel us more and more. And that would be very good news.