What is it that we desire most? What is it that will make us happy and content? What motivates us to do the things we do? Do we complain? Why?
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21-22
The heart is the source of all human motivations. If we do things for our own pleasure, peace, freedom, love, comfort, meaning, success, control, respect or reputation we have exchanged the Living God for an idol. In reality, all sin can be summarized as idolatry. When we commit a sin, we substitute obedience to God for obedience to something else whether the world, flesh or devil.
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
1 John 2:15-16
Jesus Christ, the all-powerful Creator, Redeemer, our Righteousness, is not enough. We need something more. I need Christ and . . .
Do we believe this? Do our actions show this by complaining, grumbling, in bitter envy, jealousy, strife and discontented attitudes? Are we convinced that someone or something else will fully satisfy us more than Christ? Compromised trust in Christ is really a turning away from God because we're not satisfied only with Christ; we want more.
The human heart is a factory of idols. Our sin nature produces insatiable, unending lists of desires. Those desires are idols if it is not a hunger and thirst after the Living God.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 5:6
Who is our Righteousness but Christ Himself?
Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good besides You."
The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Psalm 16:1, 2, 5, 6, 11
See how content the psalmist is in the LORD? See how grateful he is to God for all of His benefits? How about the contentment of Paul. As we read through his epistles, we know that he didn't write these words in a spiritual vacuum.
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:11-13
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
1 Timothy 6:6-8
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. Our circumstances are always changing, in some ways we like and other ways in which we don't like. But God stays the same. He is uppermost in His own affections. There is no higher being, nothing more satisfying than knowing God. That's why God commands us to love Him above everything else, with every part of us. God is glorified by godly means but we must understand that God's glory is the end also.
In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him, with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.
Ephesians 1:8-10
All things - ALL THINGS - find their purpose in Christ. If we, as true believers, do not live as though we are completely satisfied in Christ, what reason will non-believers have to consider the gospel? As chasing after the world is vain (Ecclesiastes) and Christ doesn't satisfy, then there truly is no hope for any of us.
May we cry out with the psalmist and Peter:
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26
Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."
John 6:68-69
Christ is enough, more than enough for me - may my actions and attitudes reflect that.
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