There is no other thing in this world that can satisfy the eternity set in our hearts but God. Only in God and in His love can we find true satisfaction, contentment, and peace.
It is one thing to recognize that God can satisfy us, but it is another to realize that God Himself is the true craving we need. Not only does He satisfy our desires, but He must be our ultimate craving if we want to be able to live a life of joy in His presence. If God is the one true craving we need, how can we crave God in every way and daily?
CRAVING THE HIDDEN GOD
Does God hide?
Have you ever had the feeling that God was so far away? Perhaps you have prayed for a miracle, but God did not answer. Maybe you would consistently do your morning and evening devotion, but God’s presence seems so far away. Perhaps you used to hear the audible voice of God, but now, He is silent. Maybe you used to witness God’s mighty deeds, but now, His face seems hidden.
Contrary to what many Christians believe, God can sometimes be in hiding. There are times when God doesn’t show Himself to us. The psalmist himself did not only write psalms of praise, hope, and faith; he also registered of lamentations, which grieved at God’s hiddenness and silence. The truth is God’s hiddenness is as much of a reality as God’s presence. It does not mean that we cannot and should not continue to pursue Him.
St. John of the Cross
St. John of the Cross was a Spanish monk from the 16th century who was eventually venerated as a saint. A once simple man, he ultimately became known as the spiritual giant of his time. He had a deep longing for God. Because of such hope, he engaged in various spiritual disciplines such as fasting, voluntary poverty, solitude, and silence. However, despite these spiritual practices and disciplines, he still encountered a spiritual desolation that he called “the dark night of the soul.” John felt that he could not feel God’s presence during such a time. He felt abandoned, hopeless, and neglected by God Himself. He, too, felt that God was in hiding. However, he did not allow such a “dark night of the soul” to keep him away from God. He continued to pursue God. He did this by writing prayers in the form of poems.
The poems of St. John of the Cross have become a source of theological inspiration and spiritual nourishment for many, owing to their authenticity, melodious rhythm, and mystical quality. Here is a stanza from one of the poems of St. John of the Cross, entitled “The Soul that Suffers with Longing to See God”:
When I am away from you
what life can I have
except to endure
the bitterest death known?
I pity myself,
for I go on and on living,
dying because I do not die.
In such a bitter moment, St. John of the Cross opted to commune with God and satisfy his longing and yearning for God through poetry.
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