the thirsty.

 ...Jesus walked into a group of people whose ritualistic practice of religion had so numbed their souls that they no longer were conscious of unsatisfied desires. To move them from lifeless ceremony toward the vitality of knowing God, He stood up and shouted 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink' (John 7:37)...After Jesus asked if anyone thirsts he didn't tell people to ignore their thirst, to get on with duty and stay away from people so you don't get hurt, or deeply explore that thirst, understand it with others. No, He says "Come to me". - Larry Crabb, Inside Out

Larry Crabb's Inside Out is a fantastic book for anyone looking to grow in personal wholeness, connection with others, and in relationship to God. The book focuses around the idea of taking an inside look - looking at our desires, unmet and otherwise, our past, and the unsuccessful methods we use to deal with life. I recommend it to you whole-heartedly.

I would say that I tended to fall in the camp of one with buried desire. It seemed far too dangerous to me to want too much from life. I thought, if I actually felt my deepest desires I would be consumed and eventually disappointed. In reading Crabb's book I realized this: if we ignore desire we will be half-hearted and disconnected people at best. Conversely, if we chase after each desire as it crops up we will be at the mercy of want – no longer over it but under it, serving its every whim.

No, the only way to deal with desire is to go to the One who says: come to me in your thirst. He knows our thirst, He knows the very fabric of your being. There is no one else that can handle and fulfill our desires like He can. But even this is not an easy, painless, or buttoned up process. It does however allow us to leave that safe, lifeless state and step into the world with hope. Dangerous, I know. But it is entirely worth the fight. If reading this strikes any chord with you, think about reading this book. It just might impact you in a way that you desperately need to be.

Just one more thought from Crabb's Inside Out, "Desire much, pray much, but demand nothing."