Here are questions that may seem simple at first, but will reveal to us a more profound truth about our spiritual condition: Why do we want God? What motivates our longing for the One True Maker of all heaven and earth? Do we desire God simply for the things that we get out of Him, for the sheer claim that it's our ticket to heaven or because we are commanded to do so?
As Pastor John Piper boldly proclaims, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." Our desire for God speaks volumes not just on how we live today but also how we see our eternal destination.
If we truly know what it is to desire God, we know that it's not just about getting to heaven or receiving blessings. Our desire for God comes mainly because we have tasted and seen that the Lord is indeed good (Psalm 34:8). If we truly have a genuine desire for God—not just the things of God or the things that come by seeking His kingdom—we will want to grow in it more.
Here are four simple ways to grow in our desire for God more.
1. Don't Settle for Knowledge
Knowing God is great, but it's not enough. As James 2:19 says, "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"
We can be aware of God's existence and power and still not walk by it. We can know He is God but still not live out as if He is God. Don't settle for just knowledge. Aim to live out and practice your desire for God.
2. Don't Settle for One-Way Communication
If there's anything just as bad as no communication, it's one-way communication. When it's just us talking to God and never us listening to Him speak, that's not desire. It's pure compliance. We're not just in a relationship to comply, but to grow in desire and familiarity. Communication goes two ways, and that's what we should strive for.
3. Don't Settle for Calling
God has called each of us to a glorious purpose, but what's more important is how we respond to it. When God calls out saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" we must respond like Isaiah who said, "Here I am! Send me." (Isaiah 6:8)
God is calling, but will we respond and—more importantly—will we go?
Responding to God's call will cause us to desire and seek Him more and more.
4. Don't Settle for Experiences
Experiencing God is great, but even desiring experiences can be a replacement for truly desiring God. When we focus too much on the miracles, the emotions, the lights and sounds, the pillars of fire and the cloud by night, we miss the point. God is not some inanimate experience. He is a person we can desire even without the experience.
