4 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Psalm 73:25-26 (CSB): “Who do I have in heaven but you? And I desire nothing on earth but you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
If we aren’t careful, we will buy into a worldview that is carnal (sinful, against God). We will look around us and see people who have nothing to do with God who, at the same time, seem to be doing incredibly well.
We may get jealous. We may become perplexed. We may feel as if it is unjust.
Psalm 73:11-12 (CSB): “The wicked say, ‘How can God know? Does the Most High know everything?’ Look at them—the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth.”
The problem with this perspective is that it’s carnal. It’s fleshly. It looks at things as if life on this planet is all there is.
But it’s not. We are only here for a very short time. Then, as we step through death’s door and enter eternity, we will be in that place forever, time without end.
And that perspective helped the psalmist to see the prosperity of the wicked in a different light. He observed that God would eventually bring about justice.
But knowing that the wicked will one day get what is coming to them doesn’t satisfy our hearts. The Bible even calls us to find no pleasure when bad people get what’s coming to them.
Proverbs 24:17-18 (CSB): “Don’t gloat when your enemy falls, and don’t let your heart rejoice when he stumbles, or the LORD will see, be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.”
The way we find ultimate happiness is to find something good and pure that we can enjoy to our heart’s content. The psalmist illustrates a happy, joyous heart when he expresses his desire to enjoy his God.
Psalm 73:25-26 (CSB): “Who do I have in heaven but you? And I desire nothing on earth but you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.”
Do you desire to be happy and satisfied? If so, that means you’re human. God created us with that desire. Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect happiness in the utopian Garden of Eden. But when they sinned and were banished from paradise, the human race has sought to fill that void and satisfy our longing for happiness in so many different things, some of which God has forbidden.
Ultimately, Adam and Eve were happy in their relationship with their God. Yes, there were other things that brought them happiness, but everything else was secondary. God was their first love. And He satisfied their hearts’ deepest desires.
The same is true for us. Yes, there are plenty of things that can bring us happiness. We can enjoy a delicious meal or time with family and friends. We can enjoy the sense of accomplishment after we complete a task. We can also be captivated by a picture-perfect sunset. Even sin (disobedience to God) can bring temporary happiness.
But we must be careful. Even though sin brings temporary happiness, it comes with a hook. It brings consequences. So we must obey the Lord and abstain from sin.
Other things (not sin) can bring us legitimate happiness. But we must be careful to never let any of those things take first place in our lives. Our first love and source of joy must be rooted in pursuing and enjoying our God.
“You have formed us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.” – Augustine of Hippo (“Confessions of St. Augustine”)
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you find happiness and satisfaction in Him so that you lose your taste for sin.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into why God created us, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“What is the purpose of man, according to the Bible?”
Sharing
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)
Matt’s Musings 