Reason #785
I was ironing clothes tonight, and I turned on the TV to have a little background noise. I don't watch TV often, so I'm not caught up or familiar with many of the current shows. American Idol was on, so I settled on it. A few minutes into the show, I witnessed the most peculiar performance to a really strange song. I stood in front of the TV with my mouth hanging open and confusion written across my forehead. I quickly realized how far removed from main stream television and music I am, and you know what, that's okay with me.
They say what goes in is what comes out. This pretty much applies to all things in life. A few years ago, as I walking through life in utter desperation, I quit watching TV. Really, I quit all forms of media. I spent my time reading books, devouring scripture, and listening to Family Life Radio. Most nights, I sat in the bath doing all three of those things. If I turned the TV on, I usually turned it off pretty quickly. I just found it to be empty. And, what's more, everything I watched depressed me in some form or another. It didn't take me long to realize how much time I had without these distractions. I also realized how much more joy I contained, even in the sorrow, because my only focus was on the Lord. He was the only thing that made me feel better.
We rely on all sorts of things to help us feel better. We spend hours on social media only to realize that somehow we actually feel worse than we did when we started. We turn on the radio and every song that gets stuck in our head reminds us of the life that we don't have and never will have. We want to come home and mindlessly sit in front of the TV so we can forget our worries and we end up finding more to worry about. Food doesn't satisfy, shopping doesn't fix it, and you realize that no matter what you try, you still don't feel it. The happiness, the joy, nothing satisfies. It's like everything you try leaves you wanting more, but you're not sure what else it could be.
The truth is, when we fill our minds and hearts with the things of this world, we'll never find true joy, happiness, and satisfaction. No one or no thing will complete us. The more try, the more we think we have to keep trying. And the more we search for it, the more we miss it. The more we sink ourselves into the world, the farther away we get. Because, although the things of this world promise to make you feel better, it's just temporary. No amount of TV, social media, food, retail therapy, or magazines will take your problems away. None of these things will heal a wounded heart. Sure, they might distract you from the difficulties for a little bit, but when you wake up the next morning, life is still there regardless of how cute that new dress is that's hanging in your closet.
And so when we put temporary things in, that's exactly what we get. Temporary happiness, temporary satisfaction, temporary relief, and temporary fulfillment. But temporary soon fades and we're left with the things we were already carrying around plus all the other stuff we piled on. Yet when we fill our lives with Jesus, with things that bring us closer to Him, we find true joy, authentic happiness, lasting satisfaction, complete relief, and absolute fulfillment. Sure, you may have your hard days, but they are days filled with hope because you know something better lies ahead. You realize that the problems of this world, no matter how painful and difficult they seem at the moment, won't last forever because you're holding on to the promise that He makes all things new. And when you're filling your life with these things, the things of the world don't seem to matter so much anymore.
#785 - Because He fills us completely with things that last.
"And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." - Luke 12:29-31
They say what goes in is what comes out. This pretty much applies to all things in life. A few years ago, as I walking through life in utter desperation, I quit watching TV. Really, I quit all forms of media. I spent my time reading books, devouring scripture, and listening to Family Life Radio. Most nights, I sat in the bath doing all three of those things. If I turned the TV on, I usually turned it off pretty quickly. I just found it to be empty. And, what's more, everything I watched depressed me in some form or another. It didn't take me long to realize how much time I had without these distractions. I also realized how much more joy I contained, even in the sorrow, because my only focus was on the Lord. He was the only thing that made me feel better.
We rely on all sorts of things to help us feel better. We spend hours on social media only to realize that somehow we actually feel worse than we did when we started. We turn on the radio and every song that gets stuck in our head reminds us of the life that we don't have and never will have. We want to come home and mindlessly sit in front of the TV so we can forget our worries and we end up finding more to worry about. Food doesn't satisfy, shopping doesn't fix it, and you realize that no matter what you try, you still don't feel it. The happiness, the joy, nothing satisfies. It's like everything you try leaves you wanting more, but you're not sure what else it could be.
The truth is, when we fill our minds and hearts with the things of this world, we'll never find true joy, happiness, and satisfaction. No one or no thing will complete us. The more try, the more we think we have to keep trying. And the more we search for it, the more we miss it. The more we sink ourselves into the world, the farther away we get. Because, although the things of this world promise to make you feel better, it's just temporary. No amount of TV, social media, food, retail therapy, or magazines will take your problems away. None of these things will heal a wounded heart. Sure, they might distract you from the difficulties for a little bit, but when you wake up the next morning, life is still there regardless of how cute that new dress is that's hanging in your closet.
And so when we put temporary things in, that's exactly what we get. Temporary happiness, temporary satisfaction, temporary relief, and temporary fulfillment. But temporary soon fades and we're left with the things we were already carrying around plus all the other stuff we piled on. Yet when we fill our lives with Jesus, with things that bring us closer to Him, we find true joy, authentic happiness, lasting satisfaction, complete relief, and absolute fulfillment. Sure, you may have your hard days, but they are days filled with hope because you know something better lies ahead. You realize that the problems of this world, no matter how painful and difficult they seem at the moment, won't last forever because you're holding on to the promise that He makes all things new. And when you're filling your life with these things, the things of the world don't seem to matter so much anymore.
#785 - Because He fills us completely with things that last.
"And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." - Luke 12:29-31