Hunger, Desire, & Passion

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20 It pays to take life seriously;
   things work out when you trust in God. 
(Proverbs 16:20)

Ever get accused of taking life too seriously?  Guess what...when someone tells you that, they are actually paying you a high compliment!  According to scripture, taking life seriously is something that will find us reward, honor, and integrity.  I have been told on more than one occasion that I am way too intense in how I interpret life.  I guess that really doesn't bother me - in fact, rather than being put off by that insight, I want to learn how to have that intensity without putting people off by it.

Quiet reflection is often the "norm" for a believer who is given to "taking life seriously".  There are dedicated times of reflection - times to think things through and run them through the various "filters" we have been given.  Sometimes people interpret this kind of "reflective" time as delaying a response or not being concerned about what is going on in their life.  It is most often the time we take to gather our thoughts, allowing God to give us the right answers to even the toughest of questions.

God is in the business of examining motives.  Whatever motivates us is specifically what or who we have been captivated by.  We are moved by that which maintains our focus.  That's why God focuses on motives so much - getting at the heart of the matter in our daily choices.  He asks for serious reflection on what it is that "has our focus" - because it also has our heart.  He desires to be the only one that has our heart - therefore, he examines it frequently.

There is much to be gained in reflective times.  In the intensity of life, there are times of refreshing that are needed.  The path of the upright leads away from evil - they have learned to follow a different path.  This is not because a Christian is perfect, but because their heart has been captivated by Christ.  This affects focus, impacting motives, and keeping us from wrong paths.  Hunger drives us to the kitchen - desire drives us to prepare the meal - passion drives us to consume it for all the enjoyment we will derive from that meal.  

I wonder if we really know the value of what make us "hungry" for more of God's grace, "desirous" of times alone in his presence, or "passionate" about giving all in service to him.  This type of "intensity" doesn't happen accidentally - it is a choice made from a hungry heart.  Becoming what God desires begins with hunger.  We may not recognize the value of our hunger until we begin to experience the desire for more of God!

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