Katie Piazza
You don’t have to read the Bible long before you stumble across one of God’s many paradoxical teachings. For example, many of us have been taught, “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it…” and “Give, and it will be given unto you.” Statements like these often trouble our natural reasoning but give us glimpses into a supernatural reality. One of these paradoxes that has been stuck in my mind recently comes from Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. In Matt. 5:6, Jesus teaches “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” In simpler terms: “happy are the hungry.” How puzzling is that one? Again, natural reasoning (and observational reasoning for those with children!) would tell us “hangry are the hungry!” So what is this supernatural truth? What is Christ teaching? How does happiness tie in with hunger pangs?
Though I realize that the entire point of this statements centers on a happiness or blessedness that is available to those who sense their spiritual emptiness and hunger for a righteousness that they cannot obtain on their own (but can be found in Christ through salvation), I see a happiness and blessedness that extends beyond this great truth. There is a principle here that bleeds into other areas of life. True, the greatest “hunger need” that must be met is the hunger for righteousness. However, for those who have satisfied this great craving for righteousness through salvation, there continues to be a principle of blessedness for those who hunger. A happiness for those who are not satisfied, for those who are yet thirsty in this world. There is a blessing found in coming to the realization that every craving we have for peace, security and joy simply will not be met during our life here on earth. I know many of you will automatically nod your head at this. Of course we know we will not be satisfied here. Of course we know we will have troubles here on earth. And yet, I want to ask, do you really know that? I mean, has your brain told your heart that? The truth is disappointment comes from unmet expectations. So why do we have so many moments of disappointment here in this life? Aren’t they coming from our naively high expectations for life? We simply expect far too much from this world and think far too little of the world to come.
We have to be people who hunger. We have to be people who embrace the fact that in this life we will be hungry. But equally, we must be people that are overflowing with joy because we know we will not hunger forever. We are people that one day will be filled! With the same breath we must declare, “The justice in this world simply does not satisfy, but take courage soul, there is a justice coming that will satisfy!” or “ The joy of this world simply is not enough…it simply does not sustain!” all the while smiling because we realize that there is coming a joy that will never tarnish or fade.
We have to come to grasp the reality that every bite we take out of this life will contain bitterness and will lack the ability to satisfy. Oh, we can enjoy life! We can enjoy the fleeting moments of happiness and reprieve. But we have to shatter the lie that perfect ceaseless joy will bubble up here on this earth. Crush that expectation. Toss it out. It is a delusion. A delusion that gives birth to disappointment day after day.
We must instead learn the art of setting our eyes on the feast waiting for us in the world to come. A feast of peace, of joy, of security, of fulfillment. Place your hope in that day, in that moment. Feel the hungry grumblings of your soul and whisper, “Oh, I know…I know you want more…and more is coming. Take heart! It is coming!” With that confidence you are free to take any happiness in this life as a bonus. You are able to savor every crumb of joy here knowing that it is just a foretaste of what is in store. Taste it, relish it, and smile because you know the grand feast is coming.
So be happy and be hungry. You will be filled. Because of Christ, you will be filled.
What a wonderful Savior we have…how comforting is our hope.
For more hope and encouragement as you travel through the ups and downs of life follow me on Facebook at Colette the Victorious. https://m.facebook.com/Colette-the-Victorious-103414871575330/
Read my book Victorious: A Mother and Daughter’s Journey through the Valley of the Shadow to learn the paradoxical triumph that can be found through Christ alone. https://amzn.to/2LjZcYJ
