A look at satisfaction
A look at satisfaction
Ecclesiastes 1:8-11 ….No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content…”
Extra Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18
Human beings are creatures of both simple and complex needs. A newborn child cries out every few hours with hunger that needs to be satisfied. That same child will suffer emotional starvation if his or her needs of love, affection, and affirmation go unmet. Teenagers and adults crave social acceptance, material success, and personal significance. How do we know which needs must be satisfied and which are selfish “wants” that can be denied? The Bible tells us that God is the source of all true and lasting satisfaction. If we learn to trust him in faith, he will guide us in discerning our healthy needs and harmful desires. God alone can meet our deepest needs. Without taking nourishment from him we will starve spiritually as surely as we starve physically without daily bread. The psalmist once said, “O God, you are my God….My soul thirsts for you…You satisfy me more than the richest of foods…” (Psalm 63:1-5). I do not think that God promised to satisfy all of our needs. A servant of God cries out to Him in Proverbs 30:7-9 “…Give me just enough to satisfy my needs…” I believe that God’s first work is often to temper and redefine our needs.
The psalmist again states, “…When I awake, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face to face” (Psalm 17:15). What I want to say is that spiritual maturity finds satisfaction in intimacy with God. When other people are fully fed by God they then become self-satisfied and commit sin. God, through His prophet Jeremiah said “…I fed my people until they were satisfied. But they thanked me by committing adultery…” (Jeremiah 5:7). Satisfaction wrongly understood leads to complacency, which leads to sin. The sinful heart may advantage of God’s goodness. Paul says, “I have learned to be content in all circumstances (Phil 4:11). It is God who satisfies our hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:17). Are you still not satisfied will that you have? Remember it is by God’s grace we are able to enjoy life.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to be content with what we have. In Jesus Christ’s name, we pray, Amen!
Rev. Samuel N. Modise 
