What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness?

To get a better understanding of what this means we will look at the original Greek words used in Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Hunger
Original Word: πεινάω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: peinaó Phonetic Spelling: (pi-nah'-o) Short Definition: I am hungry, needy Definition: I am hungry, needy, desire earnestly.
It means we ought to be starving for God in our souls, Continual hunger day by day. This brings us close to God and leads us into eventual spiritual victory. The earnest desire for God should be at the very heart of our being.
Only the bread of life which came down from heaven can satisfy our souls.
Thirst
Original Word: διψάω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: dipsaó Phonetic Spelling: (dip-sah'-o) Short Definition: I thirst for, desire earnestly Definition: I thirst for, desire earnestly.
Psalm 42:1 as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
Like a plant in the desert craves water. It cannot continue to live without some water. Only the water can sustain life. Only the water of the Holy Spirit can slake your spiritual thirst.
Take a deep drink now from the wells of living water. Amen
Righteousness
Original Word: δικαιοσύνη, ης, ἡ Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: dikaiosuné Phonetic Spelling: (dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay) Short Definition: justice, justness, righteousness Definition: (usually if not always in a Jewish atmosphere), justice, justness, righteousness, righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness.
There are at least two types of righteousness found in the New Testament. 1. Legal righteousness such as we obtain from Jesus when we are born again, we receive the righteousness of Christ, and this is in a sense a one off situation. This passage however seems to be talking about moral righteousness which is something we achieve on an ongoing basis. It is from our sense of the divine justice that our good deeds flow to the poor and the hurting.
Filled
Original Word: χορτάζω Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: chortazó Phonetic Spelling: (khor-tad'-zo) Short Definition: I feed, satisfy Definition: I feed, satisfy, fatten.
If we hunger and thirst for God, He will fill us like we have just had a sumptuous meal. When we hunger, we will be fed, we will be satisfied and our souls will be fattened.
God is in the filling business;
He will fill us with;
1. The Holy Spirit
2. His love
3. His moral righteousness
4. A satisfaction that can continue to grow
One bible scholar put it like this, the more of God you want the more get and again the more you want.
How can we become hungry and thirsty for God?
Jesus awakens the desires of his believers hearts. Consider these words of Jesus: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you" Luke 11:9. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, it is an open secret. You need to want it and it is appropriate for us to ask for it! Amen
It's whom you ask, where you seek and what door you knock on that makes all the difference. What could be more exciting than a journey into God himself for that is what he desires for you and me?
Conclusion
God does not ask us to deny our burning desire for intimacy, beauty and adventure. Religion does that. Jesus invites us to intimate communion with himself and his Father that will truly satisfy the deepest longings of our souls. Where are you looking to satisfy your deepest desires and longings? Only God will satisfy your deepest desires if you look to him for fulfilment. God is calling his mature ones here today to hunger and thirst for him and to begin seek his face.
Amen
Personal Prayer
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