A Hunger for More E-Book

Amy DiMarcangelo

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

How Our Hunger Leads Us Closer to Jesus Many Christians—especially those who have grown up in the church—seem to be living "good" lives, free from extreme hardship and scandalous sin. Yet even this good life leaves them longing. Regardless of our backgrounds and circumstances, all of us have a deep hunger that only Jesus can satisfy.  In this book, Amy DiMarcangelo invites readers to feast at the table of grace, where they will find God's vast glory and intimate care, his strength made perfect in weakness, and his gifts of joy and comfort to his children. Even the most hungry Christians will be encouraged that they "may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19). - Encouragement for Christian Women: Written to help both new and mature Christians embrace their need for Christ and find satisfaction in him alone - Biblical: Unfolds the unsearchable glories of God through his word - Discussion Questions and Recommended Books: Provides an opportunity for group study and further reflection - Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition

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“In this book, Amy DiMarcangelo sets a lavish table for those of us who perpetually crave more. Her well-crafted content repeatedly points to God, the only one who satisfies our deepest longings. Having tasted what this world offers, are you still hungry? Read and feast.”

Katie Faris, author, He Will Be Enough: How God Takes You by the Hand Through Your Hardest Days

“Encouraged, convicted, joyful, humbled, and full of hope. These are the things I experienced as I read A Hunger for More. To truly hunger for God and all he is can seem like such an overwhelming journey. But Amy so boldly draws us to the Father and his character, doing so with such beautiful compassion and truth. These words will be great encouragement to anyone who is longing for a hunger for God!”

Lauren Eberspacher, author, From Blacktop to Dirt Road and Midnight Lullabies

“This is a worship-inducing read. With both deep theology and winsome devotion, Amy lifts our gaze onto our wondrous and good God. A Hunger for More is a nourishing feast and a balm for weary readers.”

Jen Oshman, author, Enough about Me: Find Lasting Joy in the Age of Self

“Who doesn’t want to be satisfied? But so often, the things—even the good things—that we fill our lives with leave us empty. We crave something better. In A Hunger for More, Amy DiMarcangelo spreads a feast for women who have enjoyed plenty but have never had enough. With beautifully crafted sentences and biblical depth, DiMarcangelo serves readers course after course of only the best fare. In these pages, women can savor the richness of God himself. Are you hungry?”

Megan Hill, author, Praying Together and A Place to Belong; editor, The Gospel Coalition

“A Hunger for More invites us to stare down our desires and find our God sufficient to satisfy. Amy DiMarcangelo identifies—with wisdom and humility—the cravings that tempt our hearts, then entices us with the rich offerings found in our God. In each chapter her words serve to turn the diamond of the beauty of his character and promises. I found myself pausing my reading to stop and worship. A Hunger for More will confront your empty desires and offer the sweet satisfaction of being filled to all the fullness of God.”

Jamie C. Finn, Executive Director, Foster the Family; author, Foster the Family: Encouragement, Hope, and Practical Help for the Christian Foster Parent

A Hunger for More

A Hunger for More

Finding Satisfaction in Jesus When the Good Life Doesn’t Fill You

Amy DiMarcangelo

A Hunger for More: Finding Satisfaction in Jesus When the Good Life Doesn’t Fill You

Copyright © 2022 by Amy DiMarcangelo

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Lindy Martin

Cover image: Shutterstock

First printing 2022

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-7510-5 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-7513-6 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-7511-2 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-7512-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: DiMarcangelo, Amy, 1988– author.

Title: A hunger for more : finding satisfaction in Jesus when the good life doesn't fill you / Amy DiMarcangelo.

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021042580 (print) | LCCN 2021042581 (ebook) | ISBN

9781433575105 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433575112 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433575129 (mobipocket) | ISBN 9781433575136 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Spirituality—Christianity. | Desire—Religious aspects—Christianity. | Contentment—Religious aspects—Christianity.

Classification: LCC BV4501.3 .D56 2022 (print) | LCC BV4501.3 (ebook) | DDC 248.4—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021042580

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021042581

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2022-03-18 03:23:30 PM

To Mom and Dad,

thank you for teaching me of the surpassing worth of Christ.

Your hunger for God has profoundly impacted my own.

Contents

Introduction

1  Craving Wonder

2  Craving Love

3  Craving Grace

4  Craving Truth

5  Craving Change

6  Craving Strength

7  Craving Happiness

8  Craving Comfort

9  Craving Community

10  Craving Mission

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Notes

General Index

Scripture Index

Introduction

I sat at the restaurant table, pulled off my coat, and sighed in relief. I had just spent the afternoon hiking snow-covered trails with my sister and best friend. Even though we’d had such a good day, it left us exhausted and famished. We needed to be replenished—to rest our aching bodies and fill our empty bellies.

Our physical weariness that evening pointed to a universal truth: we are weak, needy, hungry beings. Sometimes we are oblivious to this reality; other times we are overwhelmed by it. Whether we realize it or not, we need to be filled. Caught up in day-to-day struggles, it is easy to forget the grace, hope, comfort, and strength given to us through the gospel. We may believe God’s word is true, but in practice we don’t always trust it. This disconnect between head and heart leaves us aching, no matter how “good” our lives appear.

I came to saving faith as a child. I don’t remember exactly when, but I know I had a genuine awareness of my need for forgiveness and a love for the God who gives it. My story isn’t one of rebellion or of going through the motions of religious duty while being spiritually dead inside. Despite temptations toward legalism, my obedience was predominantly motivated by love. I sinned in self-righteousness toward others but also confessed that failure and recognized my need to repent. I experienced seasons of spiritual dryness but undeniably drank from the well of living waters. There was plenty of sin in my life but no unconfessed skeletons in my closet. The same is true today.

Besides the spiritual blessings that accompany knowing Christ at a young age, my life has been filled with relational and material blessings as well. Raised in a loving Christian home, I have no stories to tell of abuse or neglect. I never endured any childhood trauma, unless you count the death of my guinea pig and the disappointment of being placed on the C team—the worst in the league—after missing soccer tryouts. Though adulthood has brought painful trials, I have experienced far more goodness than hardship. A loving marriage, three beautiful children, and a wonderful church are among the most precious gifts I enjoy. Despite all of this, I often ache for more.

I don’t know your story. Maybe you’re like me, and you grew up in a loving family and have walked with Christ for many years. Maybe your shelves are filled with well-worn books on theology, and you faithfully serve in your local church. Or maybe not. Maybe you’ve had to overcome serious hardships to finally arrive at a place of stability. Maybe Christianity is new to you, but there still aren’t many facets of your life others would consider messy or broken. You’ve likely experienced a mix of joy and sorrow, success and setbacks—though as a whole, life is good. And yet, like me, you’re left longing.

This is one of the challenges of so-called good lives—people like us don’t always realize the depth of our need. And then when pangs of hunger inevitably grab our attention, we are unsure of how to ease them. When we’re not used to suffering, we must learn to seek God through lament. When we’re confronted with the seriousness of our not-so-scandalous sins, we must learn to repent and rest in God’s grace. When we’re faced with the reality of our weakness, we must learn to depend on God. Here is the good news: though hunger pangs may be uncomfortable and even painful at times, they remind us to eat.

As a “good Christian woman” who finds herself increasingly hungry, I want to bring you alongside as we feast at the table God has set for us. There, we will find a God so vast that the universe cannot contain his glory (chapter 1), yet so intimate that he loves us as a father, savior, and friend (chapter 2). His grace is enough to cover all of our failures (chapter 3), and his word protects us from error so that we can truly know him (chapter 4). He is a God who not only enables us to repent of sin (chapter 5), but also sustains us in our weakness (chapter 6). As we walk through life in a fallen world, he offers both abundant joy (chapter 7) and enduring comfort (chapter 8). And because he is a communal God, he blesses us with the fellowship of the church (chapter 9) and sends us on a mission to build his kingdom (chapter 10). He is more than enough to fill our greatest needs and satisfy our deepest longings.

As you read the following pages, my prayer for you echoes Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:17–19).

1

Craving Wonder

We boarded the cable car alongside a man and his goat. Most nights, the windows would have exposed a mountainous silhouette against a starry sky. Instead, a thick fog lent to the ominous atmosphere of a horror movie as we clanked our way up a cliff toward Gimmelwald, Switzerland—population 130. Unable to see more than a couple of steps ahead of us, we tentatively dragged our suitcases along a dimly lit path until we reached a nearby hostel. Exhausted from a long day of travel (and relieved that we hadn’t fallen to our death), we fell right to sleep.

When the sun poured into our room the next morning, we awoke to a stunning view. No longer veiled under the cover of hazy darkness, we were astonished to see the Jungfrau—the highest peak in Europe—perfectly framed within our window. Eager to explore, we rushed through breakfast and questioned our host about the most scenic trails to hike. After laughing at our novice choice of footwear—sneakers instead of hiking boots—he sent us on our way.

The panoramic view was breathtaking from the start. But as the morning mist cleared, allowing us to see further and further into the Alpine mountains, it grew even more stunning. We trekked through twisted and tree-covered trails and came upon clearings that made us halt in wonder. Each time we imagined we’d seen the pinnacle of beauty, we were proven wrong. A new peak would come into view, making the mountain line even more wondrous than before. The vibrantly green grass, blue sky, and snowcapped mountains contrasted so sharply that it almost looked like an overly photoshopped picture. When the afternoon sun danced off the snow, it glimmered like diamonds. Everywhere we turned, we beheld a majestic display of our incomprehensibly wondrous God.

This experience, in many ways, mirrors the wonders of knowing God himself. He is eternally glorious, but apart from the Holy Spirit’s work, our hearts are too darkened by sin to see and stand in wonder. Our frail human eyes are blinded to his majesty. Just as my husband and I couldn’t grasp the beauty of the Swiss Alps until the sun rose, we cannot grasp the beauty of our Creator until the Holy Spirit illuminates it to us.

And then, in a moment, we see. His glory makes us gaze in awe as we walk, for the first time, as children of light. The fog lifts from the morning sky, revealing more of his glory. Though we inevitably traverse dark paths that leave us scraped and scared and worn out, perseverance leads to places where we behold him anew. Just when we think we’ve got our minds wrapped around him, he shows us more—some peak of beauty we didn’t see at first. In him, there is always more to discover.

Our deep soul hunger exists for a reason: we were made to live in wonder.

In this chapter, we will consider how our craving for wonder is meant to draw us to God yet tempts us to seek satisfaction elsewhere. We will also examine three ways to kindle our awe and awaken our worship: enjoying God’s creation, remembering God’s works, and studying God’s attributes.

Distracted from Wonder

God has created us to be filled with wonder, but our lives are often filled with distraction instead. Every year we consume hundreds—if not thousands—of hours of entertainment, binging on cheap amusements instead of curating our selections with a discerning eye for what is lovely and commendable. We mindlessly scroll through social media, lured by clickbait and hot takes, instead of sitting and savoring the sort of good books that help us actually slow down and think. We fill our closets and houses with the clutter of insatiable consumerism. Our overcrowded calendars distract us from the rhythms and priorities God designed to cast our eyes upon him and reorient us to his kingdom—too busy with work, sports, and socials, we neglect the Sabbath, fellowship, and serving others.

It’s no wonder our hearts grow listless. A. W. Tozer says it well: “Secularism, materialism, and the intrusive presence of things have put out the light in our souls and turned us into a generation of zombies. We cover our deep ignorance with words, but we are ashamed to wonder, we are afraid to whisper ‘mystery.’”1

We cannot walk as zombies and call it life. When we live in ways that dull our faith, the resulting spiritual boredom enhances the appeal of sin. Created to be filled, we hate feeling empty. It’s often in an effort to satiate our longings—or at least to numb them—that we succumb to temptation. We shop in excess to hush our discontented hearts. We entertain lust in our pursuit of pleasure. We chase after accomplishment and recognition in our search for glory. We obsess over our appearance in our quest for beauty. While these pursuits may thrill us at first, they prove futile in the end. Countless wealthy, successful, attractive, respected, famous, intelligent, and hedonistic people can testify to this. We were made to know the living God, and nothing less will satisfy us. When we orient our hearts to behold him, he enlivens our dull hearts with wonder. He is the source of contentment and pleasure. He is the sum of all beauty and glory. When we behold our eternally worthy God, our wonder will never be exhausted.

If my husband and I had just stayed inside and looked through the window, content with only a glimpse of the Swiss Alps instead of going out to explore them, our awe would have waned. Their magnificence wasn’t meant to be observed through a 2 x 3–foot piece of glass. In the same way, if we find ourselves uninterested in God, it is because we have stopped exploring. We have limited our view and contented our souls in stuffy rooms rather than stepping out in faith to behold more.

God delights to reveal himself to us! He displays his glory in a multitude of ways and invites us to worship with David, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable” (Ps. 145:3).

The Wonder of Creation

God has manifested his glory to the entire world through his creation (Rom. 1:20). As David sang, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). By holding the galaxies in place, he gives us a glimpse of his immense power. Through stars that adorn the night sky and sunsets that paint the horizon, he reveals himself to us. Standing at the summit of a mountain or at the edge of the ocean kindles an awareness of how very small we are. This awareness isn’t meant to overcome us with a sense of insignificance, but to fill us with awe of God’s magnificence. Our hearts will warm in amazement when we remember that the God who determines the rise and fall of every ocean wave is the God who determines every moment of our days.

As a teenager on a family vacation, I sat outside to spend time in prayer and asked God to show me a shooting star. I wasn’t testing him or looking for a sign of his existence; I’d just never seen one and knew he could show me if he wanted to. Over the next half hour he decorated the sky with three! I remember my heart being so moved in wonder—the God in charge of the universe hears me! The God who calls every star by name, knows your name too.

It’s not just mountain vistas, expansive oceans, and sprawling deserts that display God’s majesty. As the artist behind every season, he shows his beauty in flowers and foliage, blue skies and snow-covered fields. He stamps his glory into stones and sand, creeks and waterfalls. He manifests his splendor through iridescent sea creatures, lions roaring across the savanna, blithe mountain goats scaling cliffs, monkeys swinging through rainforests, and eagles soaring the sky. All creatures—great and small, fierce and gentle, cute and creepy—attest to his unmatchable creativity. There are approximately 1.2 million known animal species in the world (scientists estimate the actual number is 8.7 million), and God, our God, sustains the life of each one.2 Every year, new species are discovered. Some boast such striking colors that they stir our imagination about the indescribable beauty awaiting us in the new heavens and the new earth. Others, like the ridiculous-looking blobfish, make us realize that God loves a good laugh.

Most astounding of all, the God who spoke creation into existence also made us and bestowed us with the unparalleled honor of bearing his image (Gen. 1:27). Nothing else in the universe—not even the angels—shares this privilege. Our blemishes, wrinkles, quirks, and failures incline us to think otherwise, but people are the pinnacle of God’s creation. His magnum opus. As he formed Adam from the dust and knit David in the womb, God meticulously crafts each of our bodies and minds and hearts and souls. We are not clones. Because God is worthy of infinite worship, he intentionally designed our differences so that each of our lives can sing to him in a different key. He has given us the capacity to embody his love, justice, truth, and grace, and sovereignly placed us in specific circumstances to do so. And whether we are teachers or lawyers or mothers or writers or doctors or homemakers or students, he has entrusted us with the mandate to exercise dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28–30).

As God’s image bearers, we have also been endowed with creativity. So even man-made marvels ultimately point back to him. Consider the engineering required to build the Pantheon without modern construction equipment, or the genius required to send man to the moon—it’s nothing short of astonishing. Add to that a seemingly endless array of creative expression in the world. There is a reason that ornate cathedrals, towering skyscrapers, concert halls, and art museums attract scores of visitors—we are drawn to beauty, intrigued by human ingenuity. Created by an infinitely creative God, even food bears the mark of our image bearing. Meals that could be bland and uniform are instead prepared in a mouthwatering symphony of flavors and spices and combinations. Such culinary prowess isn’t only achieved in Michelin-star restaurants; one of the best meals I’ve ever had was cooked in the humble kitchen of a Syrian refugee.

God isn’t an elitist who shows beauty only to those who can afford an admission ticket. He manifests his glory among every climate, culture, and class, calling all people to come and worship.

We must take the time to explore and marvel at creation. Go on a hike, watch a nature documentary, study botany, eat your favorite meal, explore your city. Seek whatever captures your heart with awe until you echo the praise due your Creator: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Rev. 4:11).

The Wonder of His Works

God’s marvelous works are meant to incite our awe. This is why he continually instructed the Israelites to remember them. We are called to remember them too. Yet familiarity with the Bible, while vital to the Christian life, brings coinciding challenges. God’s mighty deeds fail to move us because we’ve heard the stories so many times before. Our eyes don’t widen the way they did when we first learned of Noah’s ark, the parting of the Red Sea, or the tumbling walls of Jericho. Even Jesus’s miracles seem like old news.

We must ask God to pierce us through his word and help us marvel at his works. These aren’t just stories! They are real events, orchestrated by a real God, to affect the lives of real people. We know this, but our fickle hearts and distracted minds prevent us from meaningful reflection. In an age when we are conditioned to expect quick results, we must learn to patiently steep in Scripture. The Spirit will be faithful to enliven it to us.

And, oh, what glories there are to behold! What wondrous works our God has done! So faithful was God to Daniel that he shut the mouths of ravenous lions meant to devour him (Dan. 6:21–22). So merciful was he to David that he sent Nathan to pluck him from the destructive path paved by his lust and violence (2 Sam. 12:1–15). So inclined was his ear to the poor that he avenged the injustice of Sodom (Ezek. 16:49–50). And then this mighty God condescended to become a humble man (Phil. 2:6–7). So powerful that he could walk on water and calm a raging storm with a word (Matt. 8:26; 14:25). So compassionate that he healed a despised leper and cast a demon out of a Gentile woman’s daughter (Matt. 8:3; Mark 7:29). So loving that he stretched out his hands to die for his enemies (Rom. 5:8). So victorious that he defeated death itself (1 Cor.15:55). So worthy that John—during his mysterious foretaste of heaven—recounts, “I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’” (Rev. 5:13).

Not only are God’s marvelous works woven in Scripture; they are evident throughout the history of the church and in our own lives as well. Yet we often fail to recognize them. Even though we intellectually believe in his sovereign control, we functionally separate his hands from our daily lives. We shouldn’t. God is providentially at work in all of our circumstances.

I recently started a master’s program in theological studies. A few years ago, I never would have imagined pursuing a graduate degree. Our budget was too tight, my husband’s job offered no path for career growth, and I aspired to write books. It was only after a steady stream of rejected book proposals that I began to consider the idea of seminary. If I wanted to serve others through writing, perhaps I needed to grow as a student of Scripture first. Meanwhile, my husband finally left his job to start a business. He barely brought any money home that first year, and our financial pressure increased—we couldn’t possibly afford tuition. Sometime later, I finally had a publisher, my husband’s business took off, and after much prayer, counsel, and affirmation, I enrolled in classes. Behind the scenes, God was working in every detail. Had I gotten a publisher the first (or second, or third, or fourth) time I tried, I doubt I would have ever considered seminary. If my husband hadn’t spent years feeling stuck in an unfulfilling job, he probably wouldn’t have taken the leap to start his own business. This was God’s plan for us. In perfect wisdom, he ordained every single delay and disappointment for his good purposes. Nothing in our lives is left to chance. We can trust that our suffering, setbacks, and successes are all ordained by God to lead us where he wills and conform us into his image.