Worth the WaitSample

Hunger Pains 

Waiting for what we want is hard. We typically want what we want when we want it (which is now). 

If you’ve ever been hungry, you know what this feels like. Have you noticed how when you’re starving and you begin to smell food, your hunger pains intensify? Waiting doesn’t just feel impossible — it feels painful! 

And when you’re really hungry, it’s really hard to take the time to eat something healthy instead of reaching for a quick bag of chips.

This phenomenon of wanting something NOW is called instant gratification, and this concept isn’t limited to food. The desire for instant gratification can derail your diet AND your destiny. 

In Genesis 25 we read about two brothers, Jacob and Esau, who both struggled with waiting for what they wanted. 

Esau was the oldest son, which meant he had a right to receive a bigger inheritance than his younger brother, Jacob. Unfortunately, Esau gave up his rights for something he wanted right then. 

After working outside all day, Esau came home, exhausted and starving, to the smell of Jacob’s soup. Esau said, “I’m about to die because I’m so hungry.” Jacob desperately wanted Esau’s blessing, so when he recognized Esau wasn’t in a good state of mind, he decided to seize the opportunity. He offered Esau a giant bowl of soup in exchange for his blessing as the firstborn, and Esau traded what mattered most for a meager meal.

If we aren’t paying attention to our life, we can easily fall into the same trap. We can trade our purpose for pleasure, and we can sacrifice the promises of God because we give in to the pressures of friends and influencers. 

Esau allowed his hunger to override his wisdom. He said, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?” 

Making godly decisions today begins with believing that God has good plans for you tomorrow. 

If you’re waiting for something right now and the waiting feels painful, take hope in knowing that the God who has prepared your future blessings has also prepared a blessing for you today. When you’re filled up with His Spirit, it’s much easier to resist those hunger pains telling you to trade what matters most for what looks good right now.