How Can I Desire More of God?
How about that for a question? Let’s start with a premise. We all have the idea in our minds that we should desire more of God. That we should desire to be closer to Him. That we should desire to want to learn more about Him and we should desire to love Him in greater ways.
The First Problem
There is something common in all those statements, and it’s a single word. Should. We “should” this and we “should” that. Oh, the pain and guilt tied up in those six letters. Can I give you a bit of freedom from guilt? You can let go of “should”. You see, “should” implies an obligation, and we bristle at the idea of being obligated. I don’t want you to feel obligated in relation to God. That’s not going to help us to grow closer to Him at all. Want some more depth? Check out these posts we’ve previously shared:
· Why Does God Make People Follow a Bunch of Rules?
· Why Should I Serve at Church?
· Why Can’t I Just Be Comfortable?
Now, I know some self-help gurus would suggest you just turn your “should” into “get to”. Like, “I get to love God more” or “I get to be close to God”. I won’t discount these ideas; however I think there’s a better way.
But I Don’t Want To
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
-Psalm 27:4 ESV
Isn’t that a beautiful thought? Shouldn’t you just be more like David in this Psalm? Am I giving you some more guilt here? Sorry.
Here is a basic issue in all this idea of desiring more of God. Sometimes we just plain don’t want to. Oh, sorry, did I type that out loud? But seriously, deep in your heart, occasionally don’t you just want to relax and be comfortable? Don’t kid around with me y’all. I know it’s true. Even though your “should” will push back against this fact, you know sometimes you just don’t want to go through the work it may take to grow closer to God.
FYI, the first step in this process is admitting that sometimes we don’t want to do it. Hey, don’t freak out here. God can take the fact that we don’t always desire to draw close to Him. Jesus told the story of the prodigal son, which included the younger son walking away from the father (who represented God). But, like the father in the story, God is still always there, ready when we come back.
Now that we’ve admitted we don’t always want to grow closer to God, how do we get to the point that we DO want to?
Let’s walk down that road by talking about “want to” and appetites.
Want To
It’s perfectly ok to start from a point of “I don’t want to”. But you’re reading this blog for a reason. Can I tell you what the reason probably is? It’s because you want to want to.
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
-Luke 9:24 NKJV
In this encounter, Jesus was talking to the father of a child who suffered terribly from an “unclean spirit”. The father wanted Jesus to heal the child, but the father struggled with unbelief. He didn’t just want to believe, he wanted to want to believe.
We must understand the difference here. When I “want to” do something, that means I desire to do it. When I “want to want to” do something, that means I don’t have the desire, but I am seeking to have the desire.
Let me give you an example from eating. When I started changing my eating habits I didn’t care for some vegetables (hello broccoli). I didn’t want to stop eating unhealthy foods and start eating broccoli. I wanted to have French fries for a side instead of broccoli. So, I lacked the desire to eat broccoli. But I wanted to want to eat broccoli, because I knew that was important to my weight loss goals. I desired the desire for broccoli.
So, it’s not important, and you need not feel guilty for not always desiring more of God. All you need is to start from the perspective of wanting to want to. Now, if at this point you want to want more of God, let’s talk about how to make that happen.
Appetites
And we’re back to broccoli. You see, once I wanted to want to eat broccoli, I took a radical step. I started intentionally eating broccoli. I know, crazy right? I did something I didn’t want to do because I a) Wanted to want to and b) Knew it would require action.
Do you know what happened? At first substituting broccoli for less healthy alternatives was a challenge. After a while it became easier. Then I found myself liking broccoli. Then I found myself desiring broccoli! Yesterday we were out at a restaurant with some loved ones. One of the side options (besides fries) was steamed broccoli. Guess what I chose? I didn’t even think about it, I saw broccoli as an option, and I went with it. Why?
Because my appetite had changed. I WANTED THE BROCCOLI!
I no longer just wanted to want the broccoli, I really, truly wanted it.
Beloved, that is how appetites work. The appetites we feed grow, and the appetites we starve shrink. I have used this principle over and over. It’s why I run, it’s why I often eat healthy foods, AND it’s why I love learning about God and growing closer to Him. As an aside, it’s why I so often write about the things of God and life with Him.
If you read more of the Bible, you’ll eventually want to read more of the Bible. If you listen to quality Christian music, you’ll eventually want to listen to more quality Christian music. If you start reading more inspirational Christian books, fiction or non-fiction, you’ll eventually want to read more of the same.
A quick note. Remember the principle. The appetites we feed grow, and the appetites we starve shrink. You may also want to consider stopping the activities that draw you away from desiring more of God.
My Desiring God Story (Abridged Version)
Here is the truth from my own life. I did exactly what I’m sharing with you about drawing closer to God. I started reading the Bible more frequently and in greater quantities. I started reading more Christian literature outside the Bible. I started serving more (and in ways that better aligned with my God-given gifts) in church. I started praying more frequently and listening for the Holy Spirit in my prayers more often. I started writing down ideas and thoughts that came from the Lord and sharing them. I started talking about God more in everyday conversations.
And what was the result? I can’t stop doing all these things. I want to do them more and more. I’m closer to God than I’ve ever been AND less susceptible to temptation. Hear me, I’m not immune to temptation, I know that my “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” I know he’s still after me and would take advantage of me if I ever let my guard down in relation to staying close to the Lord. But I also know that:
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
Beloved, I love God more than I ever have, I share His love more frequently, and in a greater fashion than I ever have. And how did that happen?
Because I wanted to want to grow closer to God, and I fed the appetites that made it happen. The Holy Spirit, in His wisdom and power, honored both and continually draws me closer to Himself. And you, sister, or brother, can have the same desire to have more of God every single day.
If you have follow-up thoughts, feel free to reach out to me directly via our contact form. Also, if you’d like to learn more about me and why I create all this content about following Jesus, check out my About page. If you love the content and would like to support this work, please visit Troy Stoneking (buymeacoffee.com) Finally, would you like to see a list of ALL our blog posts? Here it is!
Love you Jesus follower!