We cannot long or thirst for God if we do not have a good relationship with Him. And the only way that we can have a good relationship with God is when we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we have a good relationship with God, we will experience God in our lives. I remember when the first time I believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. I was hungry to know His Word, so I read my Bible a lot, even though I have a limited understanding of His Word. I went to church because I wanted to experience Him more. No one was forcing me to go, but I had a deep sense of longing for God. The Spirit of God began to encourage me with the Word of God and through the sermons that I was hearing. I felt satisfied or had peace within my soul because of God's presence. Every time I went through problems, I went to Him first, and He helped me. He always reminded me how much He loved me. When I sinned and made wrong decisions, He always had mercy and was gracious to me. When I fell down, He always picked me up. When I lost, He guided me in the right direction.
Every day, God's presence is always with me, even when I do not recognize it. My daily experience with Him is what makes me long or thirst for Him. Many people will ask, "how do you know if you are saved?" The simple answer to this question is, do you experience God, and do you long for Him? Experiencing God is a result of our relationship with Him, and we have a relationship with God if we genuinely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts. And believing in the Lord Jesus Christ means we are surrendering and submitting our lives to Him. So, true Christianity is more than going to church or doing any spiritual rituals that we do. It is a relationship with God and experiencing Him daily. It is possible to lose our longing for God even when we are saved because we allow the things of this world to distract us or tempt us to rebel against God.
If we have been cold in our relationship with God, it is time to go back to Him to find rest for our souls. We can only find peace in our hearts and souls when we are in a good relationship with God because that is the only way we can fully experience Him in our lives.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you). What is the source of my longing for God? Do I long and thirst for God? What must I do if I do not long for God?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, please give me longing and thirst for you. Please forgive me for allowing the things of this world to distract me. Please renew my heart today so that I may experience your presence once again. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.