“Though we are born into the world out of harmony with divine principles, God has placed within us the desire for something better.” D. Winn, His Healing Love.
We have the innate quality to seek and achieve. Yes, God gave us the ability to pursue spiritual and intellectual growth and development. Each of us has been given talents. Maybe you have not taken the time to discover your unique gifts. Still, God, the Giver of gifts and perfect things created you as a recipient of many blessings.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NIV)
Looking at the perfect beauty of nature, the animals, and the uniqueness of every individual, we become aware that Jesus is the Master Designer. So, it makes perfect sense that we would also love beauty. The aspect of Creation that we fail to see is, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31). There was an endpoint to the creative process.
Unlike God, who was happily satisfied with the results of His creative powers and stopped, we have no endpoint to our pursuit of “happiness.” We keep going because God is no longer our “Spiritual Influencer.”
Although we cannot escape the impact of our environment and other people, many are confused about pursuing something better. Using our five senses, we desperately seek the things that we can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. We desire the tangible things that money can buy. We have been deceived into believing that we can create a zen environment that provides peace and happiness by purchasing clothing, luxury homes, vehicles, furnishings, decorative items, and exotic and pedigree animals to surround us.
The pursuit of career advancement has nearly destroyed our ability to live productive lives. We seek empowerment from academic degrees, job titles, and salaries. We cease to gain satisfaction from our God-given knowledge and skills. Sadly, we measure our self-worth by our positions, possessions, and liquid assets. Using the world’s standards, which continually change according to “the whims of the experts and influencers,” our enjoyment of life ceases to exist. Our curriculum vitae (CV) and resume are constantly updated because we accept someone else’s definition of our value.
The primary purpose of pursuing “something better” is for us to gain daily spiritual growth and development–Sanctification [To be transformed into the Character of Christ]. Yes, our relationship with Jesus Christ is nourished by much prayer and supplication–the action of asking God for something earnestly or humbly. We achieve complete satisfaction by studying the Scriptures, which reveal God’s character. We experience a deeper level of communion with Christ gaining knowledge, wisdom, faith, and trust. Most importantly, we begin to understand the agape love of God, the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Yes, God desires that we develop to our fullest potential. But we are to pursue Him first! Obedience places us in the position for God to bring His highest plans into fruition for our lives. We are guaranteed love, peace, joy, and an outpouring of blessings. Remember, His promises are “Yes and Amen,” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Prayer: God, we ask forgiveness for the sin of pursuing material things instead of a deeper relationship with you. Anoint us with your Holy Spirit and give us wisdom as we seek knowledge in the scriptures. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen. © 2022 Sonya Johnson, Faithful Fishers, and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries
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