January 29th, 2026
This week, I’ve been thinking about hunger. This is likely (definitely) related to finishing a 21-day corporate fast with the church but it’s more than that. Whether you fasted or not, you know what it is to hunger. When you’re really hungry, even things you wouldn’t normally want sound delicious. A regular turkey sandwich tastes gourmet after you’ve hiked a few miles up a mountain. There is a spiritual principle here, and I want to share some thoughts with you.
Proverbs 27:4 says,
“One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.”
We’ve all experienced the natural application of this proverb. Don’t tell me you’ve never stuffed yourself with so much you couldn’t take another bite. We’ve all done it! However, there’s a hunger (during a 21-day fast, for example) that will make anything sound delicious. You can be hungry enough that a little communion wafer and a teaspoon of warm, fermented, preservative-laden grape juice, tastes like a gourmet dessert.
What you consume matters, naturally and spiritually. If you are spiritually full of “junk food”, even good things won’t sound good. What are you hungry for? If we know we need to read our Bible and be in the presence of God, but it doesn’t “sound good” to us, it’s an indicator we’ve been eating the wrong things. If you consistently feed your Spirit the things you actually need to live, you will hunger consistently for those things.
Just as there is life for your body in food and water, there is only life for your Spirit in His Word and His presence.
Deuteronomy 8:3 says,
“…man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Matthew 5:6 says,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Jesus said in John 6:35,
““I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”
He also said in John 6:63,
“The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Hunger is a gift. It continually draws us to Him to be filled with that which carries life, healing, freedom, and peace.
It’s a gift to hunger for the things of the Lord and it’s something we get to choose to cultivate. No one can eat for you. Parents know they can put the most beautiful, delicious plate of food in front of their children, but they can’t eat it for them. How often do you think God places a plate of food before us and we pick at it, leaving the best parts, because we’ve eaten too much candy? Fasting is a time to cultivate this spiritual hunger, but it’s something we should live in all year long.
Just because you’re around the food doesn’t mean you’re eating it. Just because you’re at the dinner party doesn’t mean you’re eating your fill. Proximity to the church, being near the things of God, does not inherently mean you’re full of the things of God.
Think about Judas. He had the same proximity to Jesus as John, Peter, James, and all the other disciples. He heard the same teaching, saw the same miracles, walked with the very King of kings, but for some reason, he consumed deception instead of life. That was a choice. John 13 tells us that Jesus already knew Judas would betray Him when He washed His disciples’ feet. Afterward, He said in John 13:18,
‘I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.”’
Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. He was consumed with greed, having made a habit of stealing from the moneybag (John 12:6). His proximity to Jesus was not an indicator of his spiritual state. Can you imagine how it must have broken Jesus’ heart? He could place life before him, but He couldn’t make him eat.
We read a story that demonstrates the converse of this truth. Matthew 15:21-28 tells the story of a woman who seemed far from Jesus, but her hunger allowed her to taste of the life He carried. It says,
‘Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.'
Knowing what we know about Jesus, I believe His response to this woman was to test her heart. We have to understand Jesus was sent to the Jewish people. It was to fulfill the purpose of God to unite Jew and Gentile, but He was still sent to His people. Her response to His apparent dismissal demonstrated her humility, her hunger, and her faith. She knew a crumb from the King’s table would be enough. How many of us come to Jesus with indignant expectation instead of this kind of humble hunger? Her response was correct. She is one of only two people in the gospels who He commended for their faith.
Judas was one of His own disciples, with every opportunity to eat from His table, and he despised the meal. This Canaanite woman who had no proximity to Jesus was hungry enough to receive. We have to learn to hunger like this woman, not just for the crumbs, but with an understanding that everything on His table carries power. We have to learn to thirst for Him like we never have before, replacing the things in our lives that don’t give us life. As we eat of that which truly fills us, we will continue to hunger and be strengthened as He intends. You can be in church out of habit, for appearances, or for others, but that doesn’t mean you’re eating of the life in His hand. He has placed a feast before us. There is life in Him, alone. Let’s draw near to Him in truth, hungering for every taste of life in His presence. He loves us and in Him is life and strength for our souls! As it says in Psalm 107:9,
“He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.”
Proverbs 27:4 says,
“One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.”
We’ve all experienced the natural application of this proverb. Don’t tell me you’ve never stuffed yourself with so much you couldn’t take another bite. We’ve all done it! However, there’s a hunger (during a 21-day fast, for example) that will make anything sound delicious. You can be hungry enough that a little communion wafer and a teaspoon of warm, fermented, preservative-laden grape juice, tastes like a gourmet dessert.
What you consume matters, naturally and spiritually. If you are spiritually full of “junk food”, even good things won’t sound good. What are you hungry for? If we know we need to read our Bible and be in the presence of God, but it doesn’t “sound good” to us, it’s an indicator we’ve been eating the wrong things. If you consistently feed your Spirit the things you actually need to live, you will hunger consistently for those things.
Just as there is life for your body in food and water, there is only life for your Spirit in His Word and His presence.
Deuteronomy 8:3 says,
“…man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Matthew 5:6 says,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Jesus said in John 6:35,
““I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”
He also said in John 6:63,
“The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Hunger is a gift. It continually draws us to Him to be filled with that which carries life, healing, freedom, and peace.
It’s a gift to hunger for the things of the Lord and it’s something we get to choose to cultivate. No one can eat for you. Parents know they can put the most beautiful, delicious plate of food in front of their children, but they can’t eat it for them. How often do you think God places a plate of food before us and we pick at it, leaving the best parts, because we’ve eaten too much candy? Fasting is a time to cultivate this spiritual hunger, but it’s something we should live in all year long.
Just because you’re around the food doesn’t mean you’re eating it. Just because you’re at the dinner party doesn’t mean you’re eating your fill. Proximity to the church, being near the things of God, does not inherently mean you’re full of the things of God.
Think about Judas. He had the same proximity to Jesus as John, Peter, James, and all the other disciples. He heard the same teaching, saw the same miracles, walked with the very King of kings, but for some reason, he consumed deception instead of life. That was a choice. John 13 tells us that Jesus already knew Judas would betray Him when He washed His disciples’ feet. Afterward, He said in John 13:18,
‘I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.”’
Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. He was consumed with greed, having made a habit of stealing from the moneybag (John 12:6). His proximity to Jesus was not an indicator of his spiritual state. Can you imagine how it must have broken Jesus’ heart? He could place life before him, but He couldn’t make him eat.
We read a story that demonstrates the converse of this truth. Matthew 15:21-28 tells the story of a woman who seemed far from Jesus, but her hunger allowed her to taste of the life He carried. It says,
‘Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and begged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.'
Knowing what we know about Jesus, I believe His response to this woman was to test her heart. We have to understand Jesus was sent to the Jewish people. It was to fulfill the purpose of God to unite Jew and Gentile, but He was still sent to His people. Her response to His apparent dismissal demonstrated her humility, her hunger, and her faith. She knew a crumb from the King’s table would be enough. How many of us come to Jesus with indignant expectation instead of this kind of humble hunger? Her response was correct. She is one of only two people in the gospels who He commended for their faith.
Judas was one of His own disciples, with every opportunity to eat from His table, and he despised the meal. This Canaanite woman who had no proximity to Jesus was hungry enough to receive. We have to learn to hunger like this woman, not just for the crumbs, but with an understanding that everything on His table carries power. We have to learn to thirst for Him like we never have before, replacing the things in our lives that don’t give us life. As we eat of that which truly fills us, we will continue to hunger and be strengthened as He intends. You can be in church out of habit, for appearances, or for others, but that doesn’t mean you’re eating of the life in His hand. He has placed a feast before us. There is life in Him, alone. Let’s draw near to Him in truth, hungering for every taste of life in His presence. He loves us and in Him is life and strength for our souls! As it says in Psalm 107:9,
“He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.”
1 Comment
Thank God for this word of life,l am hungry too