Truly Satisfied

This past week has been truly remarkable. I’m seeing God at work all around me, in and through me, and I’ve been so inspired by His love for me to pursue Him more and to walk in obedience. I sense His nearness and as a result, I have peace and a heart full of joy. In all of this, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be truly satisfied. Is satisfaction a place that you arrive at? Is it social standing? Is it career advancement or a happy marriage? Is it financial security or simply good health? What is it that brings true satisfaction, a fulfillment that doesn’t fade or run dry? And would I say that I am currently experiencing this satisfaction?

I would assume that many if not all of us have at some point in our lives ran after the things of this world that promise to satisfy us, but in the end we have found ourselves with a deeper emptiness than before and with a longing for something more. I know that I certainly have had my share of “wanderings”, searching for something, anything to fill the void within, but each time I was left empty. Each time, I came crawling back to God, ashamed and full of regret, hoping that He could forgive me and somehow restore me to a right relationship with Himself. Being one that is slow to learn and often times had to learn things the hard way, this played out a vicious cycle in my life for too long. I even remember thinking that once I finally found the man that I would spend my life with, true satisfaction would no longer be something I searched for. Don’t get me wrong, I am happily married to my amazing man, and his faithful, devoted love for me is a daily blessing that I’m incredibly grateful for and do not deserve. My point is that even my husband’s love was never meant to fill the space in my heart that Christ intended only for Himself to fill. So, I ponder this question: who/what truly satisfies me?

Psalm 19 has wisdom to offer us in this quest for satisfaction. Let me suggest to you 3 healthy choices that will result in true satisfaction in your life. These are coming straight out of God’s Word. Are you ready? First of all, we find satisfaction in obedience. Psalm 19:7a points us towards this truth: In obedience, there is life. There is a reviving of the soul that takes place when we choose to walk in obedience. Notice the word “choose”. Obedience is a choice. No, we won’t always feel like being obedient and doing what we know we should do, but obedience brings life to our souls! Walk in obedience with the Lord. Follow His commands. Obedience says, ‘I will consistently choose to honor Your Word above my circumstances’. Obedience is key.

Secondly, we find satisfaction in faithfulness. Psalm 19:7b points us towards this truth: In faithfulness, there is blessing. God has proven Himself trustworthy to us in His Word. That is enough. If He never spoke another word to us outside of what is recorded in Scripture, we would have more than enough to place our full trust in Him. The beauty is that He continues to speak to us. Being faithful requires trust in a God who is trustworthy and will not disappoint or let us down. When we choose to walk in faithful obedience to the Lord, He blesses us with wisdom. Godly wisdom brings true satisfaction. Faithfulness brings blessing. I love this definition of faith that Oswald Chamber’s offers: “Faith is the deliberate confidence in the character of God, whose ways you many not understand at the time.” Choose to walk in obedience and live by faith.

Finally, we find satisfaction in His presence. Psalm 19:8 points us towards this truth: In His presence, there is peace and fullness of joy. When we walk in obedience and in faith with the Lord, we find ourselves living life in His presence, and this brings true joy to the heart! The gift of God’s presence is one of His greatest blessings to us as His children, yet we try so hard to live and do life on our own and in our own strength. Learn to rest in His presence and begin to know true satisfaction. Are you truly satisfied?