Inspirational Thought of the Day:
Satisfaction does not come merely by receiving what we want, but by working hard at achieving our goals.
Scriptures of the Day:
Jeremiah 31:25
“I will fully satisfy the needs of those who are weary and fully refresh the souls of those who are faint.”
Psalm 107:9
“For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.”
The lyrics to the song, “Just can’t get no satisfaction”, resonated with a generation that was disenchanted by their human condition. Satisfaction was and is illusive and temporary, not attainable – especially when we look to the flesh as our resource. It seems futile to pursue satisfaction, so the lesser pursuit of easy pleasure became the desired goal. What a setup for failure. Constantly needing a cheap substitute from the world for the satisfaction that God wants us to have will never meet our deepest need.
Pausing to consider where this feeling of dissatisfaction comes from might surprise us.
At the root of dissatisfaction is the desire for more than what we have. Could be coveting, ingratitude, idolatry or entitlement, but honestly, I think we were made to want for more, and that is not a bad thing. In each of us is this desire to become something more – a longing for a greater revelation. All too often we grow weary and feel we are not making the progress we think we should or maybe we are not finding or getting what it is our souls yearn after. Then we can slide into a state of discouragement which can lead to a host of troubles. Or not.
Perhaps this hunger was ingeniously placed within us by a loving God to keep us moving forward. We weren’t meant to be so easily satisfied and somehow we innately know this.
There are two pathways we can take with this hunger for satisfaction within us. Instead of pressing on, we can allow discouragement or stress to pull us back and cause us to give up. Or we can fuel this hunger to continually seek to quench and gratify this ache within our souls. But how?
In the entitlement-driven society, it seems harsh to make us work toward something. We just want to be given success or what we want. But it would be cruel to operate in that way, for we would be easily satisfied and cease striving to grow.
Satisfaction does not come merely by receiving what we want, but by working hard at achieving our goals.
Sometimes people have lost the will to pursue fulfilling their satisfaction. Motivating others can prove a frustrating endeavor, much less ourselves. But God is able to give us the strength, will, grace and determination we need.
God is glorified when we don’t stop short of our goal but seek to be the best we can be.
Contentment comes not from getting what we want, but from choosing to be satisfied with God’s provision, instead. When we are dissatisfied, our approach toward our dissatisfaction can be the difference between whether or not we reach our goals. Will we let the dissatisfaction provoke us to envy and hopelessness, or will we let it fuel us to keep persevering? We haven’t arrived yet, but we are on the hunt for it. Satisfaction rises when we keep our destination in mind.
What is it you are hungering for today? If it is an honorable goal within God’s will, he has likely placed that desire within you. Give it to Him and ask Him to show you next steps. He might want us to wait. He might say no to what we crave, but when we know His intentions toward us are perfect, we would not want more or less than His perfect will.
Disappointed? We all are at times. “Get used to disappointment”. This line from “The Princess Bride” still makes me smile. For fun, you can watch the clip below. This counsel, spoken in jest, is actually sage advice. Well, sort of. Getting used to disappointment where we just accept it and don’t try anymore would be poor stewardship of our potential. But expecting disappointment can make us a grateful people who continue to strive to work at their mission and be surprised when blessings come.
The mission or goals burning within our hearts are a part of living. But the greatest pursuit is not found in the satisfaction of hopes in this world. Nothing in this life will ever satisfy us like He will. Our great God placed a desire for more within us so we could find Him. And He never disappoints when our hearts are steadfast on His glory and not our own.
Hope Discovery for Today: God will satisfy the ache of our souls completely and His satisfaction never ends.
Prayer: Thank You, LORD, for satisfying us completely with Yourself. Help us to seek You for all our needs and deepest desires.