It’s a familiar story…
‘If only I could accomplish this, do that, go there, or get what I want . . . then I will be happy.”
Yet, when the desire is met or the goal achieved . . . the individual is not satisfied. They end up saying they feel disappointed, lacking, and the next “if only” gets put in place.
There’s an important reason for that…
Our Creator has “hard-wired” everyone (believer or not) with a place in their souls that can only be satisfied by Him. Nothing this world offers will ever fulfill us completely.
The Apostle John wrote:
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
1 John 2:15–17
The enemy has always tempted with worldliness. He even told Jesus he would give Him all the kingdoms of the world and all their glory if He would only bow down and worship him. (Matthew 4:8–9)
And Jesus fought back with the Word of God…
“You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” (Matthew 4:10/Deuteronomy 6:13)
Love for God is the only thing that can truly satisfy us. The enemy will always try to persuade us with materialism and power.
But God…
God wants to satisfy our hearts and souls . . . our desires . . . our longings . . . our lives.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Psalm 37:4
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Psalm 107:9 (ESV)
Are you ready to look beyond worldliness and finally get satisfied?
A Prayer to Set My Heart Beyond Worldliness
to SEEK God’s Love
Father, You created every person on earth with a longing to be complete and satisfied. You also created us because You wanted to fill that longing with Yourself. When we sinned, You immediately shared Your plan to send Jesus to defeat the enemy and his lure of power, popularity, and possessions. Yet we are still tempted by his tauntings. We listen to the lies and we’re enticed by what the world offers. Please forgive us. Please forgive me.
Help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to look beyond worldliness. Help me fix my eyes on Jesus, the One who initiates and perfects my faith (Hebrews 12:2). May I open my heart that His love might come alive in me. (Galatians 2:20) Satisfy me with Your grace, mercy, and love.
I surrender myself to You. Make it my heart’s desire to SEEK You above all else. Help me trust You in all things and follow Your will as You reveal it to me. I lift up the words of Moses, “Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.” (Psalm 90:14) Please give me an eternal perspective and help me live each day on the firm foundation of Your promises. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Worldliness looks at life from a ME perspective. And the truth is . . . the more we focus on ourselves the more miserable we will be.
Why?
Because we have been created to love God and love others. We will never be satisfied until we find our satisfaction in the Lord.
Joni Eareckson Tada wrote:
Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives, but in understanding His character, in trusting in His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him as the Sovereign who knows what He is doing and does all things well.
I would add that real satisfaction is His love.
On today’s quote write:
With God’s help, I will look beyond worldliness and focus my heart and mind on Jesus.
May God be with you and bless you with a heart that is fully satisfied in Him.
Click here to read the rest of 1 John 2.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.
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