December 7, 2018

Fill Yourself with Jesus

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:16-19

Many years ago I found myself in an uncomfortable friendship. We had loads of fun together. We got along great. But she wanted to do everything together, whether it was supper break from work or going on an excursion. It got uncomfortable.

She wanted to fill herself up with our friendship. It was flattering at first. Then it just got weird. I had a boyfriend and a family. I had other friends. I didn’t want to be her everything. I couldn’t be. The friendship ended because she had to have all or nothing. Possessiveness is an awful thing.

Years later another friend was having a rough time but doing all he could to deny it. Every waking moment had to be filled with activity. He could not simply sit and watch television or read a book. He worked all day, then meticulously planned to fill every waking moment after work and on the weekends. He didn’t want to be alone and he didn’t want to be still. It was a frenetic pace that was going to destroy him.

Both of these people were wonderful but they were trying desperately to fill up themselves with other people or activities. It was never, ever going to work. We are made to be filled with Jesus Christ. Until we understand that, we’ll never find happiness and contentment.

We see it so often in our society today. We want the latest gadget, the newest car, the Pinterest perfect house. We just know that more stuff will make us happy. When it doesn’t, we speed up that endless rollercoaster we’re on and try all the harder.

I wish everyone could understand how deeply God loves each and every one of us. We can rest in that. We can be content with that. We can be happy with that.

God loves us more than we could ever comprehend. We don’t have to worry about keeping up with everyone else. It doesn’t matter to Him. We don’t have to worry about being alone because He never leaves us alone. We don’t have to have all the answers because He knows everything and gladly fills us with His wisdom when we ask.

No one will ever be content chasing things. And no one will ever be happy trying to force someone else to be everything for them. Fill yourself up with Jesus. Rest in the joy and contentment that comes with Him as the focus of your life.

November 28, 2018

Are You Guilty?

They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. – Psalm 78:18

Do you ever test God? Are you sure? Do you ever get angry with God because He isn’t doing what you’ve asked, giving you what you think you deserve, providing your requests in a timely manner?

We all know the story about the Israelites who crumbled and complained so much that God refused to let them see the Promised Land. They wandered around for 40 years, waiting for all the complainers to die, before God would let them see what He had promised them.

How often do we miss blessings because we’re so busy making demands of God? How often do we behave like ungrateful children who, instead of being thankful for what we have, increasingly insist that God give us more and more and more.

I love the NLT version of this verse because it talks about the heart. We can do and say all the right things but remember that God looks at the heart. There’s no hiding what you really think and feel from Him.

When you’re secretly jealous because your friend got a new car or a job promotion, God knows. He hears the silent whine of your heart as you wonder why you can’t have those same things.

God knows when you’re nice to someone to their face but in your heart you’re criticizing them for their weight, how they’re dressed, how their children behave. God hears the ugliness that good manners have taught you not to reveal publicly.

God hears you gossip about people. He knows the lies you spread. God sees the selfishness that rests deep inside of you. God hates the pride, the arrogance, the deep certainty that makes you believe you are better than others, deserve more than others, know more than others.

The Israelites had forgotten all that God had done for them. They’d forgotten the oppressive years under the Egyptians. They’d forgotten how God had parted the Red Sea, allowing them to pass safely, before the water drowned their enemies. They’d forgotten how God had cared for them. They were just too focused on what they didn’t have, what they believed they deserved, on their own momentary discomfort. Are we any different?

God loves each of us equally. It’s something we really can’t comprehend because it’s something we’re incapable of doing. God also wants good things for each of us. It’s not about good deeds or worthiness. We will never deserve anything good from Him. Still, God wants to do good for each of us.

What does that look like? The Israelites decided it looked like water and meat. But that was just momentary. Once they got what they wanted, the demands didn’t stop. We’re no different. We want and want. Then we get it and, a short time later, we want something else. We’re trying to fill ourselves up, buy happiness and contentment, with things that will never satisfy us. Will we ever learn?

It all comes back to the heart. Our hearts. Your heart and mine. That’s what determines our joy. That’s where we find our contentment. When Jesus is all we need, we become satisfied and at peace.

Life will always have challenges and obstacles to overcome. We’re on a journey to the Promised Land and the terrain is rocky and uncertain. But we can be joyful. We can choose to see the good, to be satisfied, to trust God to see us through to the end.

Look at your heart. What does it say about who you really are?

Friday, January 28, 2011

God Fills Us Up Inside

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." -- 1 Timothy 6:6

Do you live an "if only" kind of life? Do you fail to cherrish life today because you are always looking toward tomorrow to be a better day? Do you think you'd be happy and content "if only" something specific would happen? Join the crowd. Lots of people live life just as you do.

We are forever trying to fill that hole inside of us with things. "If only" I had a job with fewer hours and less stress. "If only" I earned more money. "If only" I had a larger house in a better neighborhood. "If only I had a new car. "If only" I could take a real vacation to somewhere fabulous. Yeah, we are filled with "if onlys."

Except none of those "if onlys" would ever make us happy. If we had a larger house, we'd still want something else. If we had a great job, something would still be wrong with it. And on and on. Because we're trying to get happiness and contentment from the outside rather than from the inside and that never works.

Money doesn't buy happiness. Neither does an awesome job, a new car or a great address. God and our relationship with Him are the only things that will ever truly satisfy us. Contentment comes when He fills us with His Holy Spirit. We learn to refocus our lives on God and away from ourselves. We learn what's important and it isn't the stuff that surrounds us.

Do you want to be happy? Do you want to feel peace no matter what happens in your life? Spend time with God. Read His Word daily. Pray without ceasing. And listen for His voice. Let His Spirit fill you with His Presence. You will know true joy when you seek contentment from your Creator and Savior.