The Secret of True Satisfaction

May 5, 2011
For the Journal-Review
By Rev. Gary Lewis
First United Methodist Church
Crawfordsville, IN

We were planning to spend a few days away during Spring Break. Train tickets were purchased. (I have never traveled on a train before, so this was supposed to be my maiden voyage.) Hotel rooms were booked. All was set in motion until we both became sick with a deep, disturbing, cough, headaches and general misery.

All we wanted to do was stay in bed. So instead of a fun-filled few days away, we spent a miserable week together confined in Crawfordsville. Except for a trip to see my physician, all we could do was rest.

If I could just take a cruise to some warm, tropical, paradise, then I would find happiness. Isn’t this what the world would have us believe? If I could take 12 months off and travel the world, then I would be happy. Isn’t that what the TV commercials would lead us to believe?

Mother Theresa, who spent her life caring for the hungry and thirsty in India, would often say those of us in America are starving spiritually. So many people today have a spiritual hunger inside them. The confusing thing is that we don’t want to call it a spiritual hunger. We use phrases such as: “My life is empty.” Or, “I’m bored.” “I’m restless.” “Something seems to be missing in my life.” “There must be more to life than this.”

Even when things are going good, even when things seem to be OK in life; there’s this gnawing feeling on the inside – something is missing. The Rolling Stones gave the baby boomer generation a theme song: “I can’t get no satisfaction.” If this becomes the theme of your life then that is a pretty sad outlook.

I believe Jesus knew something about our human tendency to want more and more while at the same time we become less and less satisfied. Everyone must fight this trend to self-destruct. The Bible says no matter how much we see we’re never satisfied: no matter how much we experience, we are never content. Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 5:6, “Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for true goodness, for they will be truly satisfied.” (J.B. Phillips translation)

“Satisfaction guaranteed” is a common promise of many manufacturers. They are convinced that their product will exceed all of our expectations. But is that really true? Twice as many products are available today than were available 10 years ago. Are people twice as happy? I would venture to say “no.”
We cannot find happiness in pleasurable experiences such as vacations, or in possessions. They will only leave us empty. That’s because no matter how great the vacation might be, or how wonderful our possessions may be, we still have to deal with ourselves.

A few years ago, we went to a movie and decided to go out for supper afterward. We played this game: “Honey, where would you like to go to get something to eat?” My wife says: “I don’t know.”

“What are you hungry for?” I don’t know. Have you ever played that game? You know the game I’m talking about, the where-do-you-want-to-go-I-don’t-know game? A lot of people spend their lives that way. They really don’t know what they want in life.

My question for you, dear reader, is this: How is your spiritual appetite these days? Do you hunger for the things of God? Do you really want to know God?

One of the most powerful ways to seek true happiness is to be on the outlook for God moments in your everyday life. Truly, God is around us at all times. We need to have our spiritual eyes to see them. They often come in ordinary packages but are expressed in extraordinary ways.

Here is the secret of true satisfaction: “Seek your happiness in the Lord and He will give you your hearts desire.” (Psalm 37:4, Good News translation) Notice it says, don’t seek happiness … seek God. If you make happiness your goal in life, you are going to miss it. The only path to happiness is in seeking God. When we seek God, happiness is a natural by-product of that search.

I know I need some time to get away from my normal, hectic, schedule. Vacations do have a way of refreshing our lives. Setting some time to be with my wife is precious to me. Yet, I know that no matter where we go or what we do such experiences do not create happiness.

Seeking God is what will give me satisfaction. “Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty … if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever!” (John 8:35, 51, New International Version)

The Good News is we can seek God no matter where we happen to be – in Cancun, or in dear, ole’ Crawfordsville.