This is so, SO true! Anything we pursue to fill the longing of our souls, other than God Himself, will never satisfy.
May I know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering.
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
We’ve been talking about decluttering, not to get rid of junk for the sake of junk, but to better focus on what is important.
We often substitute temporary for eternal;
Wood, hay and stubble, for gold, and precious stones;
Busy-ness for what is important;
We buy to fill our inner soul yet aren’t satisfied.
Our soul yearns for more.
Some would substitute de-cluttering and minimizing for seeking adventures and life. These actions alone will not bring what they want.
They are left empty and hollow.
Decluttering helps with cleaning, and eliminating stress and depression.
We can control something when problems are beyond our control. We can throw something out.
But that doesn’t give us meaning.
Those empty spaces will fill again with something else.
Something harder to get rid of.
The man who had a demon cast out, merely cleaned his house for seven more demons to enter and stay.
His bondage was greater.
The problem is Who do we trust.
The atheist did not become an atheist overnight. He felt the pressure to trust. But instead he wanted control.
He refused to submit and instead turned to what he could do.
His heart was hardened. He did this again and again.
He know longer would believe.
Happiness is not found in a simple life, more adventure or pursuing life, any more than it ends with buying more stuff.
Substitutes for what is real does not complete the soul.
Searching for ourselves.
Fulfilling our needs.
Telling ourselves we are worth more.
Looking out for what is good for me.
These things don’t satisfy.
They only show a bigger hole.
Because we were made for something more.
Our incompleteness can only be made right by the One Who created us and made us for Him.
Only through submitting to Him will our soul find rest.
Only in seeking Him will meaning be found.
That is the simple, whole life.
Not easy. But simple. With meaning.
This prayer, I wrote, to help me focus on what is the simple life with meaning:
May I trust the Hand that only gives good when the pain is great.
May I rest on the Rock that does not move when I don’t understand.
May I obey because it is right when it offers no reward.
May I wait for His promise when cheap substitutes are offered.
May I listen for His Word, instead of speaking my own.
May I weep at what brings tears to Him.
May I see Him clearly, though my eyes loose their sight.
May I know the peace only His nearness brings.
May I feel the fullness of joy that comes by His presence.
May I desire nothing but Him and His pleasure.
How do you keep your focus?
Titania
September 25, 2019
Love this....."Those empty spaces will fill again with something else.
Something harder to get rid of.
The man who had a demon cast out, merely cleaned his house for seven more demons to enter and stay.
His bondage was greater." Truth rings true, and this article is ringing, ringing, ringing true! So needed in my own heart! Thank you Sonya! You are such a blessing! xoxoxo
Displaying all 3 comments
I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
Sonya Contreras
Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
Underclass
Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
Heart of God?
See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:
under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:
under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found here,
under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of
Passover Explained
Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
Proclamation
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2
Author of Biblical fiction, married to my best friend, and challenged by eight sons’ growing pains as I write about what matters.
Receive weekly articles by giving your email address below:
Lots to think about and really appreciate your poem. I've been browsing through a book about happiness right now, and one thought really struck me. Many look back on different times of their lives and think about how happy they were then, yet at the time they didn't realize it. We need to pay attention to now and what God has blessed us with every day. We will never find happiness by seeking after it, it a a by-product of our relation with God and with others.