Appeasement verses Satisfaction

It seems Bible Studies I have run, and sermons I have preached lately have revolved around a certain theme... the idea of appeasement verses satisfaction.

In our humanness we attempt to appease our wants, our desires, our emotions and our physical urges by filling our lives with material possessions, relationships, acquaintances, parties, social media and social interactions, as well as other comforts. I look at the world around us and see a cycle of just trying to find the next thing to appease us continuing on and on... and then I look at the church and I don't really see anything too different.

Young people especially are driven to appease their desires themselves - through gaining friends (or boyfriends/girlfriends), or through the latest clothes and computer games, or through drinking and clubbing and partying endlessly, or through so many other things - and I am seeing this in churched young people, not just the general life of a young person in our world today.

...and it concerns me greatly.

...and I think it concerns God greatly, as He has been showing me as I prepare studies and sermons that always seem to be coming back to this idea.

Because no matter how hard we work to appease those feelings and desires... nothing we do will actually completely satisfy us!  Why?  Because we are wired to find satisfaction in only one thing... our Creator.  God, when He made us, made us to find our satisfaction only in Him.  Looking anywhere else is useless because it is taking our eyes off the One who ultimately satisfies. I understand that the world may not have grasped that, but it stuns me that Christian young people, who know Jesus, who know what He has done to provide that satisfaction, continually turn to other things they think will provide a better means for them.  Though they may enjoy it in the short term, my heart breaks knowing that eventually they are going to be hurt and feel a deep sense of being unsatisfied, and maybe a huge sense of regret and guilt as well.  I know I have felt that over my life, and I just wish I could communicate the Gospel in such a productive way that others avoid it because they truly find their satisfaction in Jesus.

I can resolutely say that my satisfaction only comes when I centre myself on Christ, what He's done for me and my response in worship to Him. I know there are times I look away, but I find I am quickly dissatisfied and feel the call to turn back to Jesus - a thing I am eternally grateful for, that I can turn back time and time again because of His grace.

We all need to get to that place, where turning away even for a moment leaves us instantly unsatisfied. Because that is the place where the Gospel has done its work - that is the place a true Christian is found.