Hannah Katt writes for Youth Ministries. In this blog, she cautions readers against spiritual poverty.

I recently did an experiment on my Instagram and asked this question: “If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would you say?” I received a lot of cliche yet good responses like: “Listen to your parents. They know what they’re talking about.” “Don’t stress the small stuff.” “Develop a better relationship with God now.”

However, it was the very first response that caught me off guard. It said, “Don’t starve yourself. It’s not worth it.”

I assumed this young lady so bravely meant not to physically starve themselves and my heart broke. I don’t prefer to use the word “hate” often; however, I hated that she felt she had

Don’t starve yourself. It’s not worth it.

to say that. I hated it because I never wish for anyone to starve themselves on purpose for any reason. I began to think of how we tear ourselves down when we are disappointed in our reflection when we look in the mirror, especially when we compare ourselves to those around us. It is escalated during the times we try to become healthy and subsequently fail. I thought on this for a few minutes until my mind suddenly shifted to a different place of starvation.

Spiritual Poverty

What if, in fact, it wasn’t something physical at all? What if she was referring to starving herself of knowledge, power, God’s anointing, learning, experience, or relationships.

What if it was something emotional? What if it was something she had starved herself from that could have helped her grow in her career, her financial life, or her education?

Don’t starve yourself from the opportunities and blessings God has for you because the grass looks greener on the other side. Click To Tweet

This made me think of the story in Luke 2:43–49 where Mary, Joseph, and young Jesus were traveling to Nazareth. They suddenly realized their twelve-year-old was no longer following along with them and began to panic. Verse 46 of this passage informs us that Jesus stayed behind to listen in on some conversations with men who were publicly known as wise and highly educated.

Feed Yourself the Word of God

His curiosity set in, and He began to ask some questions. This is one biblical event I would have loved to sit in on, listening to twelve-year-old Jesus basically whoop these grown men into shape. I’m guessing He was not the kind of kid you wanted to get into a theological debate with. Jesus knew what he was doing. He was trying to grow. He was trying to strengthen others’ knowledge while expanding His own. He was being an intentional learner, so how much more should we?

Recently, I heard Shenae Andrus, Apostolic author of Silhouettes, say, “It’s never been about the arrival; it’s been about the process.” Let me tell you one word that sums up the process of anything you are trying to accomplish: uncomfortable. Growth in any aspect of your life will not come without a time of being uncomfortable.

We can’t go to the gym without our muscles being stretched. We can’t gain knowledge without sacrificing some time to learn. And we won’t be able to step into the full anointing God has for us if we don’t give our all to Him.

Romans 10:2 states: “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”

Feed yourself the Word of God.

We can have passion or zeal to accomplish something in our education, finances, spiritual life, and other areas, but if we do not intentionally allow ourselves to grow, be discipled, and strengthened by outside sources—something or someone other than ourselves—we will not fully reach our goal.

Don’t starve yourself from the opportunities and blessings God has for you because the grass looks greener on the other side. That grass could be artificial. It will never grow, just fade. Don’t starve yourself from the nutrients you need to get where you’ve always longed to be just because they are not as easily attained. One day, one meal, one prayer at a time, and you will be full—full of faith, power, anointing, freedom, and so much more.

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