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A Personal Devotional by Debbie Hall
"I can’t get no satisfaction…but I’ve tried, yes I’ve tried, oh, I’ve tried…" Those words are from the number one rock song of all time, "I Can’t Get No Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones (as reported by a recent poll). Isn’t it interesting that the world seeks satisfaction in selfish pursuits, but always reports back that no matter how hard the flesh tries to find meaning through selfish pursuits, the end is always dissatisfaction!
The scriptures, of course, say that satisfaction is not an end in itself, but the by-product of our relationship with God.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be satisfied" (Matthew 5:6).
Do you remember, dear friend, when you trusted Christ? The stars shone brighter, your heart felt strangely warmed, you had found what you were looking for all of your life! Everything took on new meaning!
"Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (Romans 5:1).
Sadly, though, it is not uncommon to look around churches today and see Christians who are so discouraged, so frustrated, so "defeated" in their Christian lives. Why is this so? I believe it is because as time has passed, they have believed a lie from Satan that has stolen their joy. The lie goes something like this…"Well, yes you were saved by God’s grace through your faith, but the way to keep God’s favor is through the work you do…do more for the Lord and he will be happier with you.
You can see the ones who have believed this lie around the church. They are so busy doing the Lord’s work that they forget to spend time with the one they are doing the work for. They are too busy to pray, to busy to spend time in the word, to busy to stop and help. They are some of God’s most wonderful people, many of whom do all they do because they love Jesus and their church so much! But so often they are so pooped out from serving they no longer have time to be still and know their God.
If that fits you, dear friend, listen to this quote from John Piper:
"God is the kind of God who is not so much satisfied by the resources of bucket brigades but by broken sinners kneeling down to drink at the fountain of grace."
I hope that speaks to you like it does to me! As we spend time with Jesus he helps us be so much more effective than we are when we are running ourselves ragged! All day spent chopping wood with a dull axe does not yield nearly the results of spending the first part of the day sharpening the axe, and then watching the trees fall before you!
Remember this axiom:
God’s work done God’s way and in God’s time leads to God’s blessing-everything else just leads to frustration!
So friends, let’s join together, not in frantic labor, but in drinking at the fountain of grace! And then together with renewed hearts and minds, join God in what He is doing! And watch out for falling trees!
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