As the holidays are winding down, we look around and ask ourselves: “Is this all there is?”
As you reflect on how the holidays were spent, think about this:
Suppose everything went perfectly for you. Suppose you had the perfect trip and spent it with your dearest loved-ones. Say you gave just the right gift and they had just the right response. Say someone gave you exactly what you wanted. Suppose it was all as perfect as could be…
Then what of that empty longing still inside our souls? Why didn’t the holiday season fill it up with enough to last us to the next celebration? Why is there still a thirsting for something more? Something inside is still not yet satisfied.
There is something more for us
If events, experiences and material things could satisfy us then we would be able stop our endless pursuit of more. We would be able to find the ultimate experience or thing - and then be satisfied.
Yet we are never satisfied. Nor should we be.
What we seek to satisfy ourselves with is the very question on which our life, joy and happiness hinge. Instead of fleeing from our inward thirst for more we must face our finitude full on.
All of man was made for God.
The reality of our thirsting for more defines our very reason for existence.
Instead of feeling the emptiness in our lives after such an awesome season of celebration, fellowship and joy, let’s embrace our inward thirst for more while seeking Someone eternal to satisfy it.
Zack Hensley said:
Well said, I agree. Every holiday, good time, wonderful friend I’ve spent time with, I always walk away feeling a bit let down. More and more I realize my soul is veracious for something that can’t be found under the Sun: “my soul thirsts for you in a and weary land where there is no water for my soul…because your steadfast love is better than life my lips will praise you” I love him, he satisfies my soul.
Posted on December 26, 2006 at 10:34 pm
Jerry James said:
The thing about Christmas is that there is such a big build up and then “blink” it’s all over and everyone is gone. Bummer.
The One Thing conference is kind of the same, you blink and it’s over. The difference is, that it is so inspiring and challenging, and encouraging. It’s not just “a conference”. I always leave feeling I have really encountered God. Oh, how I want to know Him more, to experience His presence in greater ways, to experience His power and have the wisdom and knowledge to handle it and not blow it.
Shawn . . . thank you for your blog. It is always an encouragemnt to me as is the “One Thing” conference and every visit to IHOP. I am ready to “gas up” and go hard with wholeheartedness after God, again, and again, and again.
Posted on December 26, 2006 at 10:38 pm
Kelsey said:
We were talking last night about the holidays we will celebrate in the Millennium. Interesting that it won’t be Christmas or Easter, but the Feast of the Tabernacles - the holiday to remember that God saves man. When Jesus is on the earth as king over all, we will still celebrate this holiday because we will still have that innate longing to know that God saves us and we are meant for Him alone. It’s a little more than my finite mind can grasp.
Posted on December 26, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Ruth said:
funny how actually i thought about this for the first time ever. I had a great time with christmas, bla bla. when it was over i was like.. well.. can someone tell me.. is this it? is this what everyone is looking for with christmas? and of course not just with christmas but everything in life is fading away quickly. and the answer is ‘no’. this is not it. and the last few months i’m slowly beginning to realize how everything in life seems to fade quickly while God is looking to fill up the void inside forever. Things on earth seem so..not satisfying..and God is showing us more and more that He is the one to satisfy. I think we can really enjoy Christmas and all those other things the best when we know they are not there to satisfy fully and when we don’t expect them to fill the void inside in any way.
Posted on December 27, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Shawn said:
You guys are all right. This life is just a vapor. poof… and it’s over.
Living for eternity is wisdom.
Posted on December 27, 2006 at 9:44 pm