Curb Your Hunger

with Joyce Meyer

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life;
he who comes to Me will not hunger, and
he who believes in Me will never thirst.”
(John 6:35)

I’ve always been a very intense person, though I’ve lightened up some over the past few years. I think it was a combination of my natural personality, the way I was raised and my early environment. I was abused in childhood. Fun was something we never really had I remember getting in trouble for laughing and making too much noise, or playing when I could have been working. I became a double workaholic with a false sense of responsibility who didn’t know she was stressed because her life was out of balance.

My husband, Dave, would never let my attitudes steal his joy. He stayed happy, no matter what. That was one of the things that finally got me to realize that I was out of balance. I didn’t realize the value of joy. God gave us a laugh for a reason, and I’ve discovered that I have to take every opportunity to lighten up instead of just being focused on work.

About 20 years ago the Lord basically told me out of Psalm 27:4 that if I didn’t spend personal time with Him, not to get a sermon to preach but just time with Him, the devil would kill me because God’s presence is a protection in our lives. I have to let God do the heavy lifting, I have to go to Him first and let Him show me what to do.

Discipline, determination, and self-will can only take us so far. We try to walk in the fruit of the Spirit. We try to behave in a godly manner. We try to change ourselves. There’s no point in starting something if we don’t first see if God wants to be involved with it and get His strength.

Every person has a God-shaped hole on the inside of them and nothing can fill it but God. No matter what we try to stick in it, nothing is going to work but God. Only God can satisfy us. People try so many things food, drink, drugs, sex, work, play but they don’t really know what they want. They don’t know why they feel bad, or why they’re overwhelmed by their weaknesses, or what they hunger for.

Sometimes even born-again Christians neglect to think about getting God involved in the details of their lives. They go to church on Sunday, but the world in which we live today needs God’s involvement on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sometimes, more than anything else, we simply need more one-on-one time spent with God.

This Week
Spend time with God and let Him strengthen you. Invite Him to give you His thoughts on the different projects you are considering.

Prayer
“Lord, thank You for the strength of Your presence. Please help me to know Your mind and heart on those things that are on my mind and heart.”


Adapted from LIFE Today featuring Joyce Meyer and her book Look Great, Feel Great. Programs air the week of September 3, 2007.