Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples. John 15:4-8 CSB
Desperately Seeking Satisfaction
God never promised satisfaction in anything else but him, and we will never find true satisfaction anywhere else but in him. We search for satisfaction but very act of searching will render us irritated and exasperated. We will search and search and never find what we long for, like an itch we can never reach. We will be compelled to search again and again while every wrong place will propel us to the next, giving us a false sense of satisfaction that quickly fades. And off we go again, desperately seeking satisfaction which truly just serves as a huge distraction from what really brings true and meaningful satisfaction into our lives.
When we seek contentment outside of our relationship with Jesus, we easily become distracted and forget where we can find true satisfaction. True and lasting satisfaction only comes from God. Anything we feel because of what we pursue that is not him only brings false satisfaction that never lasts. When we know the source of all provisions and the purpose for our creation, true satisfaction begins.
Abiding
Where do we find satisfaction, and how do we live in it consistently?
We know that the true source of satisfaction is only found in God. So how can we find that satisfaction and how can we live in it constantly? If we can only find true satisfaction in God, then the answer to how we can live in it consistently is that we walk closely with him in a relationship with him and abide in him. To “abide” is to live, continue, or remain; so, to abide in Christ is to live in Him or remain in Him. When we consume ourselves with him, we focus on him and filter everything through him. When we abide in him, we have a close, personal relationship with him. When we have this close relationship with him, we understand that he is the only source of satisfaction. Part of having this close relationship with him – where we are in him – keeps our focus on him as our source and keeps us from looking somewhere else.
Where have you looked for satisfaction? Are you exasperated and desperately seeking satisfaction, but it always is just out of your reach? That won’t change as long as you are looking somewhere besides him. Quit chasing what you will never find. Abide in him where true and lasting authentic satisfaction can be found.
