A Hunger for God in a Busy Season - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - January 14, 2026
“You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:4-6, NIV).
Slow mornings reading my Bible are absolutely heavenly, yet they have been scarce for such a long time for me. I could give a million excuses as to why…life with littles who don’t sleep through the night is a major one. I mean, I think I have lived with interrupted/broken sleep since before my second son was born almost eight years ago…so…yeah, that’s a long time of mental fog!
But the Lord gives such grace to us mamas in this season. He stirs our hearts to continue to pursue seeking Him, even when we feel like we have so little of ourselves (and our minds) to give to Him. We see that one of the reasons we can receive this grace is that we turn away from worldly distractions and are willing to admit our weaknesses and our need for God. Scripture tells us that God gives grace to the humble when we seek Him instead of things of the world:
“You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us[b]? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:4-6, NIV).
I’m learning to stop lamenting over time lost in my pursuit of knowing God. Instead, I repent for finding pleasure in lesser things and allowing those things to distract me from one of the most essential pursuits a Christian can have- seeking to obtain knowledge of who God is.
I have been living off of morsels and scraps for far too long. Although the Lord has sustained me this whole time and grown me in ways I cannot fully explain these last few years, I’m finding that the bite-sized devotion and communion with the Lord will not be enough in what God is calling me to in the days ahead- whatever that may be.
I don’t know why I sense this urgency all of a sudden…perhaps what is going on around us in the world is creating this need to keep my eyes on the eternal more than ever before. Still, I don’t want to waste another moment giving my worship to anyone or anything other than God Almighty.
Do you feel this urgency to gain knowledge of the Holy One as well? If not, pray that the Lord would stir your heart and affections for that pursuit of Him to be ignited in your soul. Ask Him to help turn your eyes from lesser things and into His wonderful face. He alone is worthy of our devotion and heart.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.”
If you are weary and your flesh wants to look to things of this world to fill your life and mind with, you must resist that temptation and run to Jesus and His word. The things of this world will never satisfy or strengthen you when you are feeling weak. We must repent for fixing our gaze on lesser things. What are those “lesser things” that are a distraction for you? Ask the Lord for the grace to give you a hunger to seek Him and know Him in a deeper way by spending time studying the scriptures and praying daily. He is worthy of all of your affection and devotion. It may feel like you are failing in your spiritual disciplines because you cannot devote as much time to the Lord as you would like to in this season. Perhaps, instead of using “time” as the measuring rod of our spiritual disciplines (whether the amount or the time of day it happens), we need to focus on the consistency of our reaching for Christ. Are you reaching for Christ every day? Do you desire to know Him more and grow in His likeness?
So often, we see our failure of “missing days” of a certain amount of time in the world and give in to despair and stop seeking, stop reaching for Him. Soon enough, we give our focus (and heart) to lesser things or activities, responsibilities, or people that seem to be a more convenient or effortless devotion for us. The same can be said about prayer, discipleship, evangelism, or serving as well. I want to encourage us, moms, in the middle of these often strenuous and exhausting child-rearing days, to keep reaching for Christ!
Ask the Lord to guard your heart from discouragement and despair if your daily devotional time with Him is minimal or lacking in this season. His grace will empower you to daily lift your eyes to Him…where your perfect help comes from. May He stir your affections for growing in spiritual disciplines, and little by little, day by day, you, by God’s grace and the power of the Spirit, will see the consistency of your devotion flourish and strengthen!
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/ChristianChan
Related Resource: When God Feels Harsh or Distant: Gaining Peace Through Christ's Compassion
Many people know God is loving and kind—but struggle to feel or trust that love in their most wounded places. For those impacted by trauma, religious abuse, legalism, or deep loss, God can feel distant, harsh, or unsafe.
In this moving conversation, host Jennifer Slattery sits down with author Sherri Hughes Gregg to explore how Jesus consistently reveals Himself as tender, compassionate, and near to the brokenhearted. Together, Jennifer and Sherri model how we can wrestle respectfully with Scripture, release shame-laden interpretations, and encounter Christ as He truly is: the One who comforts, restores dignity, and brings beauty from ashes. If this episode helps you face fear with God's confidence, be sure to subscribe to Faith Over Fear on Apple or Spotify so you get new episodes every week!
