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Hangry

After he [Jesus] had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”¹

In February 2018, the Oxford English Dictionary officially added a new entry into its pages — the word “HANGRY”, which is defined as “bad tempered or irritable as a result of hunger”. At some point or another I think we have all experienced this! That feeling of hunger that makes you grumpy and sometimes even a little unwise. During this time of physical, and even spiritual, weakness are moments when the enemy, the devil, tries to plant those lies into your mind. Those lies and bad thoughts might be about your worth as a person, your lack of success, and even question your relationship with God.

Fortunately for us, we have Jesus’ example to follow! In Matthew chapter 4, we come across The Temptation of Jesus. After having fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus was very hungry. As He walked through the wilderness, along came the devil, ready and waiting to throw his daggers of temptation at Jesus. As he challenged the Lord, with thoughts of food, power, and worth, Jesus called on God’s name and resisted the devil with a straightforward and direct, “Go away, Satan!” (Mt. 4:10 CSB). The devil had no choice but to leave because God’s name is the Light and the devil, in his darkness, has no place there. Jesus provided us with ways to counteract the schemes of the devil by giving us His Word. God has unending love for us that is always reaching toward us.

When temptation causes us to be weak and crumble, God gives us Himself through the Holy Spirit which becomes living and active inside of us. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to fight and in those moments of weakness when the devil whispers that we aren't enough, we can shout as Jesus did, “go away, Satan! in Jesus' name!” and he has to flee. Jesus felt hunger but did not allow himself to be hangry. He drew his strength from God's Word and His promises. “Man must not live on bread alone”, says God's Word, “But on every Word that comes from the mouth of God.” Don’t allow yourself to fall into the tempting lies of the devil but rather resist that hanger with the bread that is God’s Word!

Suggested Prayer: Thank you, Father, for allowing your Son to go through trials here on earth that I could relate to. Thank you for allowing Him to teach us the way to fight temptations and the weakness that comes with our physical needs, wants, and desires. Help me to call on Your name first because You will always provide my way of escape. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1. Matthew 4:2-4 (CSB).

 

Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica B.