“What is the cause of your conflicts and quarrels with each other? Doesn’t the battle begin inside of you as you fight to have your own way and fulfill your own desires?” – James 4:1 (The Passion Translation)

Do you ever wonder, “If the work of the cross is a finished work, why do I so easily become undone?” If you have, know that we are standing on common, holy ground. It is part of the devil’s schemes to accuse us in our shortcomings, when it is in fact our shortcomings that can make a way for us to return to the Lord and be strengthened in His presence. Our shortcomings can be our homecoming. God isn’t distant even though our circumstances and feelings might try to tell us otherwise.

It’s been said that self-awareness precedes transformation. So before we move on, let’s here and now give a big shout out to the warrior hearts who are willing to look at what’s going inside of their hearts when they have a problem with someone or something else! It’s brave work to be willing to go first.

So here I am, going first, as we dive into a month of studying what it means to live with fierce hunger.

There are times I do not faithfully follow the instructions of James when he says “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger (James 1:19).” Easier said than done for this fun-sized, middle-aged, Hispanic girl who grew up believing that the louder you squeak, the more oil you get. I also believed that at whatever cost, I could never surrender. I kept pushing, kicking, screaming and fighting until I wore my opponent out. If that didn’t work, it was time to sound the alarm and upgrade the war to a code red, where iron walls would swiftly erect and I would use silence as a manipulative weapon instead of an instrument for peace. If I couldn’t get what I needed through force, I would wear the other person out by pushing them out. What an exhausting life I used to live.

These are the parts of my old self that drowned in baptismal waters. But like God and His unstoppable love, the prince of this world, Satan, refuses to quit. He sees the sin in the world and thinks he has a chance of winning our worship. Through Christ, we have died to our old self. Yet Satan continues to try to exploit our weaknesses to discourage others from drawing near to Jesus. Satan creeps, lurks, and prowls around us, looking for holes in our whole lives in Christ. He notes the places where we are hungry, vulnerable and in need. Satan and his pathetic helpers stand close by ready to mislead and accuse us, ready to offer us destructive thoughts and actions for quick relief to a problem that was already solved on the cross.

There is not always quick relief for sons and daughters who were designed for eternal purposes. We now live for Christ and dying to our flesh brings immeasurably more gain.

To be alive is to have hunger. Desires of the flesh are meant to lead us to a God who is more than enough.

This month, let us not deny our hungers. Let’s grow fierce for the things of the Lord. Let’s be quick to notice what we are hungering for when it is the healing waters that begin to stir and we mistakenly panic and prepare for the storm. When the war of our own desires begin to cause problems between us and God, let’s train ourselves to be quick to slow down and breathe. We cannot kill our old selves and become our new selves alone. We will need a fierce hunger for the thought life available through the Holy Spirit and quick obedience for follow up.

Here are a few things we can exercise this month as we grow in greater hunger for the things of God that bring life and peace instead of the desires of our flesh that bring death:

Cultivate a closer relationship by giving God more of your attention
In your day, make time to turn your ear to ask, “Father, what’s important to you right now?” I promise you, this will bring you much joy and it is very fun to do! Dig into the Word and enter into prayer with your Father. You will be surprised by what He says and you will grow in real-time relationship. Set your phone alarm if you need to in order to set aside time to meet with God. The person who gives God more time and attention will have a heart more like His that hungers for the things of heaven more than the things of the world. She will hunger and be satisfied.

Practice stillness and mindfulness
There’s no way around this one. If you are still struggling with getting still, don’t deny it. Confess it. 2- 3 minutes a day is a start, and 5 -10 minutes a day, for 60 days, will start to change your life. If you are interested in changing your body, start with changing your mind. Studies show that emotional eaters who start a weight-loss program and implement a practice of mindfulness (meditation) are more likely to reach their health goals and maintain them long term.

Exercise joy!
Plan some breaks in the day where you will take some time to enjoy. Seriously. Have some fun! One of my favorite things to do is to get up from my office desk, jump on my red colored Razor Scooter, foot-push myself over to the coffee shop for an iced tea, and come back. It’s funny how this short 15 minute break can energize my heart, body AND mind. (Yes, this almost 47 year old woman scooters. Not only that, I asked for roller skates for my birthday this month! I will be sure to Instagram you all when they arrive.)

It is the job of the Holy Spirit to get us and keep us where God would have us to be–a place where our emotions and thoughts are in line with the realities of God and His Kingdom. A place where words are no longer weapons of warfare used to manipulate our way into getting what we want, but rather instruments of peace as we rely on the Prince of Peace who died to meet all of our needs.

This month, may the Lord’s face shine upon us and grace empower us as our hunger grows for the things of the Lord. May we grow in divine health, soundness of mind, and so much more. May we be first to notice the storm that rises within us and quick to hoist up the pure-white linen sail of peace that catches the wind of the Holy Spirit and gets us to where God would have us to go.

His LOVE!

Alisa Keeton , Revelation Wellness Founder and author of The Wellness Revelation

Here is today’s #wednesdayworkout!  Alisa’s total-body flexibility rooted in God’s word. “GOD’S PROMISES” (ALL LEVELS) (ROMANS 4:20-21; YOGA MAT)

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