Our fast-paced, click-bait world promotes and advertises material bread more than spiritual bread. While this is nothing new, in John 6:27, Jesus contrasted material things with spiritual things. Sadly, it is almost universally true that people are more attracted to material things than spiritual things. A sign that says free money and free food will attract a bigger crowd than one that says spiritual fulfillment and eternal life.
Let’s recount the moment in John when a crowd came to Jesus and inquired, “Teacher, when did you come here?” Instead of answering their question, Jesus revealed their true intentions—they sought Him for more miraculous food. Despite the crowd’s efforts to follow Him, their hard work focused on perishable, short-lived food rather than on Jesus (John 6:26-29).
How often do we search for things we think have great and lasting value, only to have wasted time seeking perishable things? As we climb the corporate ladder in pursuit of fulfillment and happiness, we often find ourselves at a crossroad of exhaustion, burnout, and emptiness. Many of us seek pleasure in pornography, blind to its demonic grip or relationships, searching for love, identity, and purpose. All these pursuits are fleeting and detrimental to our souls and relationship with God.
Jesus tells us that our Father gives us the true bread from heaven (John 6:32), which is the Word of God and eternal life in and through Jesus Christ. He is the spiritual bread you must feast on to have life.
Jesus aims to lift the crowd’s understanding above their material and physical needs, so we need to have our minds lifted, too.
2 Steps to Lift Our Minds: Beyond Material Bread to Spiritual Encounters
- Reduce distractions by planning a dedicated social media break and sticking to it. So, you might choose to only get on social media after 8 a.m. or limit it to a few hours daily. The intent is to minimize disruptions like watching TV or mindless scrolling on our phones. Another helpful tip would be to set up downtime and app limits on your devices. Be intentional with your thoughts, avoiding delving into unproductive or negative ones and consciously redirecting them.
- Redirect your time by filling those newly opened spaces with purposeful activities. If you leave them empty, you’ll likely fall prey to distractions. The enemy will attempt to infiltrate those gaps. Instead, engage in reading the Word of God, be it through audio or physical. Listen to worship music and make time for prayer. Living without prayer is a risk. Apostle Joshua Selman says, “To be prayerless means you have declared that you do not need the assistance of heaven. It’s a declaration of self-sufficiency.” If you truly want to delight in the Lord, ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
Sincerely invite the Holy Spirit to commune and fellowship with you. He desires to spend time with you; He’s just waiting for an invitation.
Seek to move beyond the physical and into the spiritual realm in your life today. The first step is to elevate your mind, which involves coming to Him, receiving Him, and believing in Him. It is from this place that our spiritual hunger is fulfilled in Jesus.
In our upcoming daily sustenance, we explore what it means to come to God, receive Jesus, and believe in Him. To gain a deeper understanding, check this our latest daily sustenance on Jesus is the Bread of Life Meaning.
O Holy Spirit, give me a hunger for the Lord that only Jesus can satisfy. Will you be my guide? (Psalm 42:2-12).
Thank You
We hope you loved exploring this topic with us. We pray it blessed you to surrender, dwell, and abide in God’s Presence. Leave us a comment below, and let’s keep the conversation going!
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Hello ma-b I am so proud of you and I think you should keep growing your relationship with God and I love you so