Just Not Hungry

I was visiting a friend this week.  In our talking together we recalled my last time in Kyrgyzstan.  There was a terrible virus going rampant in the city.  Many people caught it and died.  I caught it, became deathly ill, thought I might just leave this earth, but lived instead to tell the tale.

When I had recovered sufficiently to fly, I returned to England and to my doctor to get the medical attention I so badly needed.  Blood tests were taken and my doctor prescribed something called Complan (Ensure).  Many of you will know this is a drink filled with all sorts of nutrients.  Although I had done my best to keep myself hydrated, my body was still depleted and needed recharging.  I drank the Complan twice a day to restore the nutrients but something else happened too.  My appetite, which was sorely waning, began to return.  In fact, after just a week of drinking the Complan, my appetite had returned in full.  Cooked food smelled good to me once more and I began to enjoy a variety of meals.  Oh, how happy I felt to enjoy eating again.  Joy grew in my heart and stomach with every bite.

Of course, it’s no different in our spiritual world.  Do you ever feel dry, spiritually speaking?  Do you ever feel you lack appetite for the things of God?  You don’t like the way you feel but you’re not quite sure what to do about it?  Let me suggest – spiritual Complan.  Open God’s Word, even though you don’t feel like it, ask the Holy Spirit to please restore your appetite, and begin to read – begin to feed on God’s Word.

Remember, God’s Words are living.  The Bible says, “For the Word of God is full of living power.  It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires…”  Hebrews 4:12  There is another verse that reads, “You must crave pure, spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation.  Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s goodness.”  I Peter 2:2-3

Remember David, writer of so many of the Psalms?  Even he knew about spiritual Complan.  In Psalm 34 he tells us of a very difficult time he was going through.  He writes in verses 6-8, “I  cried out to the Lord in my suffering, and He heard me.  He set me free from all my fears.  For the angel of the Lord guards all who fear (respect and worship) Him, and He rescues them.  Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Oh, the joys of those who trust in Him.”

When we’re not hungry, we naturally don’t want to eat anything but I encourage you to “taste and see” for yourself if your appetite doesn’t return along with inner joy and peace.