Whether we have realized it or not, what we’re really searching for is joy, peace, and life; we want life—life to the fullest, life abundant.
God has blessed us with instincts, desires, and so many gifts (marriage, sex, kids, friendships, community, food, drink, homes, hard work, jobs, ministry, sunrises/sunsets, mountains/beaches, etc.). All of which are good and right. He also tells us the right ways to pursue and use and enjoy these good gifts. It’s when we allow these instincts and pleasures to get out of bounds and run riot in our lives that we get in trouble. We end up pursuing these gifts and creation itself as if they are the end goal; as if they will give us life and satisfy our soul. They won’t. Because they simply can’t.
It’s not wrong for us to have and pursue these God-given desires. It’s not wrong for us to enjoy these good gifts – we should. He gave them to us for His glory and for our good. He wants us to enjoy His creation! He is glorified when we do so rightly.
But, they are merely shadows. Just as a shadow has no substance and is attached to the object creating it, these gifts are shadows pointing us to the actual substance – Christ. They can never satisfy because they were never intended to. We are all looking for something only God Himself can provide – life and peace. We will receive it partially here and now, but fully with Him forever in the life to come. So, we live with hope. And only hope in Christ is hope that won’t disappoint.
Looking to creation for life and peace is like dropping our water bucket into a dry well only to draw up a muddy, sandy sludge. Then, we are crazy enough to drink it thinking, “At least it’s moist. Maybe it’ll quench my thirst.” When, of course, it doesn’t, in our brokenness we think “I know what will satisfy me, more sludge.” So we pull more mud from the same well, over and over with the same disappointing result. Then, in a stroke of genius, we go to other dry wells for different sludge; because better tasting sludge is what we need. We keep hoping that more of what cannot satisfy will eventually satisfy us.
This is how addiction happens. When we lose sight of what’s truly important, we live for what is temporary, and our heart seeks for satisfaction where it cannot be found. We begin to look around us, to creation, for life, peace, satisfaction. At best it provides limited, fleeting happiness. So we have to keep going back to it, over and over. We become dependent on substances, people, locations, experiences, achievements, etc. to keep us happy. Whatever we give ourselves to in this way now has massive power over us and controls us. Looking for satisfaction where it cannot be found leaves us spiritually empty and potentially hopeless. Meanwhile, we are dealing with all the difficulties of this fallen world with little hope that things will ever be different.
People can love and respect us, but they can’t give us life. Situations can make our life easier, but they can’t give us life. Locations can bring some changes to our life, but they can’t give us life. Achievements can be temporarily satisfying, but they can’t give us life. True lasting hope is never found horizontally, in creation. It’s only ever found vertically, at the feet of Jesus, the One who IS life and peace. May we all place our hopeful hearts in His hands today.
John 7:37-38 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 10:10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.