There are so many things we can use as “fillers” to try and fill the longing in our hearts for something more. Career is a HUGE “filler” for most people. Our culture places so much emphasis on education, profession, promotion, making more and more money and sells it all on the premise that if you do this you will be happy. If you get this much education you will feel good about yourself… if you work in this profession you will earn real respect from people… if you get this promotion then people will really know you are somebody… if you make this much money then you can have the things that will make you really happy. It’s a never ending road of dissatisfaction where one success leads to a temporary sense of satisfaction only to find a short time later that there is something else trying to sell itself as better.
We can do this in our self image too. Women do this when it comes to their body image and how much
they weigh. Many women have a number in their head that if only they weighed that much they would be happy… if only I was her size I would be happy. And any women who have accomplished their goals in weight loss know that the success is only a temporary fulfillment. That in a few short months or years a women will start to see herself in the mirror the same as she was before the weight loss. Then comes the new and improved goal of 5 or 10 more pounds… It never ends because the problem is not the career or the relationship or the kids or the weight… the problem is inside of our hearts and lives and it’s designed to be truly filled by only one thing.
A relationship with Jesus is the only thing that can truly satisfy us. Actually I take that back… many of us have a relationship with Jesus and still we find our selves struggling with being discontent with our lives and our selves. It’s not just a relationship with Jesus that will bring you the fulfillment you are longing for but allowing Jesus to give you the fulfillment that He can bring. We need to believe what Jesus says about who we are, and who He created us to be and who He is and allow Him to fill the voids in our hearts as we passionately pursue a relationship with Him.
Tomorrow’s Post is on How to Passionately Pursue a relationship with Christ
I can so relate to this post. Years ago, I was a career junkie. Worked 12-14 hours a day and brought work home. If the kids weren’t around on weekends, neither was I; I was at work. Not for career advancement, productivity was my filler. Before that, obsessing over my weight. That “another 5 or 10 lbs” comment resonated with me. With me it was just one more. I weighed 85 lbs in my late 30’s. The drive to be fulfilled (perfected) was never ending until I began to pursue Jesus the way I pursued everything else. To be honest, I feel closest to perfection now than ever and my greatest filler is the Word. Thanks for reminding me.
Happy Thursday Lori,
When we stop looking to people and things of this world to “fill” us, then and only then will we actually feel fulfilled. When the love of Jesus fills us from within, there we find true happiness. When it’s internal we don’t look for it elsewhere and it’s not conditional based on situations and circumstances. That true peace and happiness that can only be found in relationship with Jesus is with us always and it’s not fleeting. People and things can come into and leave our lives, but our peace is with us always. In the midst of chaos and turmoil when He is within us, our eyes are always fixed on Him and not on the problems so our problems never become bigger then our Provider, our solution, our ever present help.
Regardless of our Earthly circumstances, our joy is ever present because He is ever present. And because Jesus is our source, we don’t need to compare to what others have, whether it be 5 or 10 pounds less, a better house or car etc.
When we get to that place where we are truly content in Christ, we don’t even notice what we don’t have because nothing can compare to what we already have.
I love these lines of the song “Made Me Glad”…this says it all:
“Whom have I in heaven but You
There’s none I desire beside You
You have made me glad
And I’ll say of the Lord
You are my shield, my strength
My portion, deliverer
My shelter, strong tower
My very present help in time of need”
He is our everything and so much more. Have a great day Lori,
love and blessings,
Shelley
I so relate with this post and the kids as fillers. I have experienced myself. I am trying not to fall into the weight trap, not becuase I am at my goal weight but becuase I am just now trying to get there. I remind myself that I will not be happy then if i am not happy now.
We also, as ministers, think if we had this size church (or in our case as church planters) ANY size church, we would be happy. We can use ministry as a filler too. Is that a future post?
This is a great series of posts–relating to each one of the fillers at some point. It’s so nice to now move past this and fill with Jesus—can’t wait to read your next post!
Career, hobbies, porn, whatever.
I have had fillers after fillers. They did just that, filled, but did not sustain me, strengthen me or gave me joy.
I love the open lines to “Made Me Glad” because those come from Psalm 73:25. Take a look at the follow in verse 26:
My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Verses 25 and 26 are words to live by.