‘Why am I not satisfied in life, even after achieving my goal?‘ You may find yourself asking.
‘I am chasing success, travel and more possessions but there is no lasting purpose in doing so.’
Time spent on social media results in comparison with others, beauty products and exercise do not solve your human condition to age, making perfect daily routines falls short to satisfy you, and simply living a ‘rich, aesthetic life’ creates a hunger in your heart for more purpose and deep connection.
The world offers band-aid, surface-level ‘solutions’: Vogue offers a superficial, heartless advice – ‘try meditating, breathing, taking 10,000 steps, stepping offline’. James Clear offers a solution, too: ‘By loving the practice of what you do. It’s only the people who embrace their work as a craft and fall in love with the boredom of doing it day in and day out that stay driven over the long-term.’. And yet, none of this advice solves a deep desire to be wholly satisfied in our hearts and minds (especially in seasons of sickness, loss or hardship).
With artificial intelligence creating thousands of new online articles a day, almost every image you see in advertising being photoshopped, our purpose is questioned. There is no soul and mind behind most of what we see: Are we merely cogs in society’s machine? The rates of depression are rising, growing more in the past few years that it has in hundreds. Since the pandemic, depression and anxiety rates have increased by 25%.
We are striving after the wind if we attempt to find purpose in lasting fulfilment from this world. No amount of ticking the boxes and aiming for perfection will truly and deeply satisfy us.
This begs the question:
Where do I find true satisfaction in life?
when you are questioning your role and identity on earth, return to the One who created you.
Genesis 1:27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
When you lack direction in life, fear God and keep His commandments:
Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”
When you need a clear purpose in life, love god and live peacefully with others.
Mark 12:29-30 records Jesus’ words: “The most important one [commandment],” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 “And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
When you are overwhelmed, look to the One who IS the beginning and the end.
Revelation 22:13 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
When you feel abandoned, keep your eyes on the one whose love abounds for you.
Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Psalm 86:15: “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Return to God
Turn off your phone, put distractions aside, close this blog post and draw near to God. Where are you walking with sorrow? Where are you walking with fear? He who has began a good work is faithful to complete it. Even in the disappointment, God is gracious, he is Kind and He is loving. He will use you in-spite of weakness. Apart from God, life is meaningless. Pleasures, wealth, wisdom and work have no purpose or meaning without God.
Your Heart’s Repose matters
Repose: a state of rest, sleep, or tranquillity. To be situated or kept in a particular place; for instance; “the diamond now reposes in the Louvre”. Be found resting in His presence. Acknowledge that this season and this location is where God has placed you and delight in Him.
Matthew 11:28-29 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
We are not satisfied in life because we do not rest in God: He has created us to know Him deeply, and only in trusting Him will we find joy, because it is Christ in us, the hope of glory (to them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27).
Related encouraging posts:
Enjoy this encouraging testimony by Lauren Daigle.
Re-Discover Yourself in Motherhood
The Power of Forgiveness in Relationships
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