Have you ever been in a place so dry, so empty, that you could barely breathe spiritually? If so, you’re not alone. We’ve all felt it at times. Life has a way of pulling at us from every direction, but deep down, there’s a hunger that only God can satisfy. That’s what this series is all about: not God’s pursuit of us (though He does), but our pursuit of Him.
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Faith
Psalm 61:1 says,
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”
David paints a vivid picture of what spiritual thirst looks like. He’s not casually checking in with God. He’s desperate. Eager. Early. Intense.
This kind of longing isn’t new in Scripture. Whenever someone got spiritually desperate—when they became hungry or thirsty for God—things began to change.
Think about the woman with the issue of blood. After 12 years of suffering and trying every possible remedy, she had a choice when Jesus passed by: make excuses, or make a move.
She didn’t let the crowd stop her. She didn’t let the fear of rejection or the discomfort of her condition hold her back. She pressed through with one thought: If I can just touch Him, I’ll be healed.
And she was. Instantly.
What Excuses Are You Making?
The crowd’s too big.
It’s too hard.
God probably won’t respond to me anyway.
Sound familiar?
Excuse after excuse could have kept her from her pursuit that day. But something GOT IN HER… that pushed every excuse to the side
Excuses will always be available. But healing? Peace? Wholeness? Those come when we push excuses aside and pursue Jesus with everything we’ve got.
“43 Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me. 44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. 45 “Who touched me?”Jesus asked.Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.” 46 But Jesus said,“Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48 “Daughter,”he said to her,“your faith has made you well. Go in peace” – Luke 8:43-48
That’s the kind of pursuit Jesus responds to—deliberate, determined, relentless.
Where Are You Searching for Peace?
If your pursuit is only focused on the temporary—money, comfort, relationships, success—then your peace will only exist when those things go right.
But life doesn’t always go right. There is wholeness and peace that is found in Jesus.
Jobs change. Bank accounts shrink. Health fails. People disappoint. The sun doesn’t always shine.
That’s why your peace has to be rooted in something eternal—someone eternal. When you become relentless for Him, even when the chips are down (because they do get down) -you don’t go down with them.
Put God First—And Mean It
David didn’t just cry out to God occasionally. He was intentional. He was early. He was eager.
““O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” (Psalm 61:1)
Charles Spurgeon said,
“The word ‘early’ has not only the sense of early in the morning, but that of eagerness, immediateness. He who truly longs for God longs for Him now.”
David also said:
“You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night.”– Psalm 61:5-6
His desire for God wasn’t reserved for convenient moments. It was constant. Whether he was on the battlefield, the throne, or running for his life—his heart remained in pursuit.
You Can’t Serve Two Masters
One of the keys to relentless pursuit is allegiance. David’s devotion was undivided. In a world full of distractions and idols—both ancient and modern—he had already decided where his loyalty lay. Your relentless faithfulness to Him and Him ALONE is key in you overcoming in this life.
As commentator David Guzik notes:
“David sweeps aside the idea of many gods and proclaimed his allegiance to his one and only God.”
You can’t live with one foot in the eternal and one in the temporary. You won’t overcome life’s valleys that way. But if your heart is fully after Him, there’s no valley too deep.
What Do You Want Today?
Alexander Maclaren once said,
“If we have nothing to say about God’s goodness, the probable cause is our ‘want’ of experience of it.”
So, what is your want today? Are you longing for comfort—or for the Comforter? Are you chasing relief—or the One who brings peace?
Make today the day you pursue God relentlessly. Push past the crowd. Lay down the excuses. Seek Him early, seek Him eagerly, and watch what happens when you truly go after Him with all your heart.
