Since you are reading this, you are probably a born-again Christian and want to follow God’s ways and his lead. But what about those worldly things you are still longing for? “If I have a better house, I’ll be happy.” “If I finally meet my spouse, I will be joyful.” “If I earn more, then my life becomes easier.” The list goes on and on and you probably already know that those things won’t satisfy you in the long run.
In churches, we often hear that God is all we need. Only he can truly satisfy us. In him, we find purpose and lasting joy. But why are you still longing for all those things that you know deep down won’t satisfy you? Why do you often feel empty on the inside? Do you sometimes wonder what’s wrong with you and why other Christians and especially preachers around you just seem to “get it”?
All this teaching about God’s love and grace being enough probably left you with this feeling of “something is not right with me”. You ask yourself, “What am I doing wrong that I don’t experience that fullness in my heart? First of all, it is important for you to know: You are just human! In our fallen world, it is normal to feel that way. There is nothing wrong with you; well, there is everything wrong with you in the sinful-human-kind-of-sense. But Jesus freed you from what’s wrong about you to set you right with God!
I love that quote from C.S. Lewis: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
There are things in life that we will never fully reach. Our bodies haven’t risen yet and heaven hasn’t arrived fully on earth. All the glory, love and joy of heaven aren’t here yet. We still aren’t completely renewed and we will never be in this life because of the dark forces that are still at work in this world. Even Jesus knew that:
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” John 16:33b
There is no way that you can accelerate your resurrection into God’s new world. No matter how hard you work and how much time you spend in prayer, your eternal life in heaven with its everlasting fulfillment doesn’t happen for you faster. But in the end, you will overcome the world through Jesus Christ!
Gladly, we can experience glimpses of heaven and the new earth that God indented for us in the end. Thanks to God’s grace, we can rejoice, find love, and be content in this world here and now. Moreover, we can have the peace that only Jesus Christ can give us, the peace that passes all understanding. But this longing for better, for greener pastures, won’t leave us. We don’t experience fulfillment and satisfaction 100% because eternity just hasn’t arrived yet.
So, what about all the preaching about “only God can fully fulfill us”? First, I want to state that I agree with this preaching that all the good things come from God and only he can fill us up and so on. Absolutely! But we will never completely experience it in this life. We’re seeing and feeling glimpses of that fulfillment here and there, but there is still that craving in our hearts for more, and that awareness inside is still some empty and lonely spots.
It is important to note that this understanding isn’t a green card to sit back, wait, continue sinning and let God do everything. No, life is a process and I’m convinced that you will experience Gods’ love, peace, grace, and joy more and more in your life as you grow.
But remember, that longing never fully goes away because you are made for something so much greater, for another renewed world! I’m convinced that you have the choice on where to go with your desires. Do you channel this yearning on God and his Kingdom or on worldly things?
So don’t try to find fulfillment here in this age. Better grow closer to God every day and see more and more of all the goodness of heaven in your life. And keep in mind that you will experience the fullness of God’s glory and love in the age to come!
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