What steps can we take to avoid the spiritual state described in Job 33:20? Observing Job 33:20 – The Spiritual Warning “so that his body finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.” Job’s friend Elihu pictures a person so afflicted that even what once nourished him now disgusts him. Spiritually, that’s the believer who loses all appetite for God, His Word, and fellowship. The following steps help keep our hearts from drifting into that condition. Cultivate Daily Delight in Scripture • Schedule unrushed, expectant time in the Word (Psalm 1:2). • Read aloud—hearing engages heart and mind (Romans 10:17). • Journal insights; obedience grows when truth is personalized (James 1:22-25). • Memorize bite-sized portions; recall them when appetite wanes (Psalm 119:11). • Pray the text back to God, asking Him to “open my eyes to see wondrous things” (Psalm 119:18). Guard Your Spiritual Diet • Limit voices that dull hunger—endless entertainment, corrosive social media, cynical talk (1 Corinthians 15:33). • Replace junk inputs with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19). • Fast occasionally from non-essentials; hunger in the body can remind the soul of its true food (Matthew 4:4). Practice Quick Repentance • Sin numbs spiritual taste buds (Hebrews 3:13). • The Spirit convicts; respond immediately, confessing and forsaking (1 John 1:9). • Keep short accounts with people—unforgiveness starves the soul (Ephesians 4:31-32). Stay in Life-Giving Community • Regular worship gathers us around the “bread of life” (John 6:35). • Small groups provide accountability; friends can spot appetite loss before we do (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Serve others; poured-out love cleanses self-preoccupation that chokes desire (Galatians 5:13). Welcome God’s Loving Discipline • Job 33 shows God uses hardship to rescue, not ruin (vv. 19-30). • View trials as Fatherly training that renews appetite (Hebrews 12:5-11). • Ask, “What adjustment are You calling me to make?” rather than “Why me?” Stay Filled with the Holy Spirit • Ongoing surrender keeps spiritual senses sharp (Ephesians 5:18). • Ask daily for fresh filling; He delights to satisfy (Luke 11:13). • Yield to His promptings—obedience fuels deeper hunger (John 14:21). Keep Eternity in View • Fix eyes on “the living hope” ahead (1 Peter 1:3-4). • Remember that today’s choices shape everlasting capacity for joy (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). • Meditate on Christ’s return; anticipation awakens appetite (1 John 3:2-3). Summary Checklist ✓ Word before world. ✓ Repent fast, forgive faster. ✓ Choose nourishing inputs. ✓ Share life with believers. ✓ Embrace discipline as love. ✓ Seek continual Spirit-filling. ✓ Live for the age to come. Stay attentive to these rhythms, and the soul remains vibrant, never reaching the bleak state Elihu described. |
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