Find Satisfaction

8 Mar

“Exchange what can never satisfy you for the only thing that can.”  ~ Wendy Speake

Lent is often seen as a season to sacrifice, to give things up.  We are supposed to do that, we have learned, in order to engage in mortification.  Too often, however, people look at giving something up as a practice that is only necessary for the season.  They do not see the challenge to change their lives and become a new creation.  They view Lent as something that will end and, afterwards, they can “get on with their lives.”

The purpose of Lent, however, and the purpose of our mortification is to exchange what can never truly satisfy us with the only thing that can:  God Himself.  Too often, we place an emphasis on worldly things, experiences, and pleasures.  We allow those to gratify us and forget that they are all temporal.  They may be pleasant for a time; but, they are time-limited.  Sooner or later, they will end and we will find ourselves without and empty.

Why is it we often fail to turn to the Lord to supply our needs?  Truth be told, I think it’s our human pride.  We like to do things and figure things out on our own.  We do not like to be dependent upon others and rely on others to fulfill our wants and needs.  We think that we should be able to do that all on our own.

In the process, we cut the Lord out of the picture.  If we are not going to count on others, why count on Him?  Why not just do it all ourselves?  Why do we need Him?  That is the constant chatter in the back of our minds and that temptation is put there by our ever-present enemy.  The devil wants us to think that we can do it on our own and that we do not need the Lord.

When we rely on the prizes and glory of the world and fail to seek the things of God, we are putting ourselves in jeopardy.  Lent challenges us to exchange the promises of the devil, which can never satisfy, with the promises of our loving God.  He will satisfy all the longings of our soul and bring us home to Himself if we but allow.

FAITH ACTION:  Ask God to help you find satisfaction in doing good for others today.