How to Find Satisfaction in an Unsatisfying World

The cake was perfectly iced and sprinkled with coconut. There it sat on our pantry shelf when the doorbell rang.  My mother headed to the door to see who was calling, leaving me alone in the kitchen while she talked briefly to the unexpected visitor. At age four, I could not resist …

Using my hand, I scooped a large chunk of that cake off of the platter and began to eat it. But one scoop wasn’t enough. As I listened to my mom chatting, I went for another handful—then another. By the time I was discovered, the beautiful cake had caved in on itself … what was left of it.

I can no longer remember what my punishment was, but I can well remember how sick I felt as a lay on the bed with a terrible stomach ache. The situation ended with my stomach’s refusal to keep the cake down! That day, I saw something that I wanted, something that looked good, and I was not satisfied to wait for a slice of the cake at the appropriate time.

Life can be like that tempting cake. It often leaves us feeling unsatisfied and looking in many wrong directions for that elusive feeling of satisfaction: fulfilling careers that steal too much of our time, a pursuit of wealth that leads down a destructive path, a relationship with the wrong person that leads to heartache. How do we find satisfaction in an unsatisfying world?

God made us to desire satisfaction in life. We all long to have that feeling of being satisfied with our circumstances, achievements, and relationships—even the fulfillment of our dreams. We want contentment. But the world can be a very unsatisfying place in which to live. We have no promise that the things that we desire for a satisfying life will come to pass. And disappointment can bring weariness to the soul. We may feel dispirited, even exhausted. This is where God makes His promise to the unsatisfied:

For I [fully] satisfy the weary soul, and I replenish every languishing and sorrowful person.” Jeremiah 31:25

It is encouraging when we understand what God means when He says that He will replenish … part of the definition is “to fill with inspiration or power, to nourish,” God wants to bring inspiration and power from Himself into our lives, but we must learn to wait on Him and seek His will—not the world’s definition of satisfaction.  We will never feel that we have enough until we focus in His direction. Our desires may change when we do, but we will be truly satisfied by the Giver of all good things.

Do you feel unsatisfied with areas in your life that are important to you? Are you willing to seek God through prayer and counsel in order to find His answer to satisfaction in your life?

 Amplified Bible, www.biblegateway.com