We live in a competitive world. “More” and “better” and “success” get etched into our brains at such an early age. What did you learn to do so that you or your caregivers felt satisfied? Get your room cleaned up. Eat everything on your plate. Do all of your homework. Get better grades. Sit up straight. Talk right. Act right. Comply. Compete in sports. Practice your music lessons. Set a good example. Go to church, read your Bible, and pray more. It comes as no surprise that we’ve created such pressure that people are living from a stream of anxiety and frustration. What do you have to get up and do for you to be satisfied today?
I got caught up in all of these performance traps of conditional love. It led to insecurity, anxious striving, anger, destroying my brain and body with addictions, guilt, shame, and hiding. I looked good on the outside, but I hated myself and anyone who tried to control me. Thanks be to God who relentlessly pursued me with His love. How I strived for and fought against God’s love. How grateful I am that this stubborn, saved man finally surrendered to the love of God demonstrated by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Only because of God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice am I forgiven, saved, healed, and free.
My dad taught me that love is spelled T-I-M-E. If you love someone, you make time for them. Now, instead of striving for attention, approval, or acceptance, I’m awakened every day by my Teacher and Life-giver. Over time, the Teacher etched these words into my existence. “Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom…Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us see your miracles again; let our children see Your glory at work. And may the Lord our God show us His approval” (Psalm 90:12, 14-17).
The Lord of time always has time and makes time for me. I’m awakened by God’s love, and I’m satisfied by God’s love. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, I can come boldly to my Father and be fully known, loved, and accepted. I’m forgiven—not afraid. I’m compelled and freed by God’s love to listen, obey, and share His love and truth, but I don’t have to in order to be satisfied. But I only find true peace and satisfaction when I’m yielded and when I’m surrendered to God’s love. When God gives me the nudge, I try to let Him operate my systems. Since God made my brain, my nervous system, my feelings, my will, my muscles, my breath, and my time, then He should be allowed to operate my life and my systems for His purpose and plan.
When I don’t feel the need to control my life or to get done what I or others think that I need to do to be okay, there’s great freedom. What’s next, Lord? Have Your way. Where are we going today? Who do we get to love and serve today? Let’s go. When I’m daily satisfied by God’s unfailing love in the morning, then I’m not looking for people, work, feelings, food, drinks, experiences, or accomplishments to try to make me feel okay. God’s love satisfies me and takes the pressure off of my life. Now I get to do life and to share His life-giving love and truth with everyone around me. It’s not really my life anymore. My hope is that’s what people will come to see in you too. When you get everything stripped away, all you really have left is Jesus living in you—the hope of glory!
Are you satisfied?
Are you always striving for better or for more?