A Prayer for Fresh Hunger for the Word
By: Emily Rose Massey
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” - James 4:4-6, NIV.
Slow mornings in the Word are heavenly, yet they have been scarce for such a long time. I could give a million excuses as to why… life with littles who don’t sleep through the night is a major one. I mean, I think I have lived with interrupted sleep most nights since before my middle son was born in February 2018… so… yeah, that’s a long time of mental fog!
But the Lord gives such grace to those in weary seasons. He stirs our hearts to continue to pursue seeking Him even when we feel like we have so little of ourselves (and our mind) to give to Him. We see that one of the reasons we can receive this grace is because we turn from worldly distractions, and are willing to admit our weaknesses and our need for God. Scripture tells us that God gives grace to the humble when we seek Him instead of things of the world:
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:4-6, NIV).
I’m learning to stop lamenting over time lost in my pursuit of knowing God. Instead, I repent for finding pleasure in lesser things and allowing those things to distract me from one of the most important pursuits a Christian can have- seeking to obtain knowledge of who God is.
I feel like I have been living off of morsels and scraps for far too long and although the Lord has sustained me this whole time and grown me in ways I cannot fully explain these last few years, I’m finding that the bite-sized devotion and communion with the Lord will not be enough in what God is calling me to in the days ahead- whatever that may be.
I don’t know why I sense this urgency all of a sudden. Perhaps all that is going on around us in the world is creating this need to keep my eyes on the eternal more than ever before, but regardless, I don’t want to waste another moment giving my worship to anyone or anything other than God Almighty.
Do you sense this urgency to gain knowledge of the Holy One too? If not, pray that the Lord would stir your heart and affections for that pursuit of Him to be ignited in your soul. Ask Him to help turn your eyes from lesser things and into His wonderful face. He alone is worthy of our devotion and heart.
Father,
I am weary, and I can tell that my flesh wants to look to things of this world to fill my life and mind with. But I know that those things will never satisfy when I am feeling weak. I repent for fixing my gaze on lesser things and I ask you for the grace to give me a hunger to seek You and know You in a deeper way.
Will you please stir my heart to read Your word and spend time in prayer with You daily? I look to You because you are worthy of my affection and devotion.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home momma while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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