In my sermon this week I mentioned how when we give our lives to Christ, we give up our right to our own ambitions and plans – we allow God's plans and ambitions for us to take over instead.
The problem with our own plans, is that they don't bring us the satisfaction they promise. C.S. Lewis wrote very eloquently on this. His suggestion was that the longings and hopes that arise when we fall in love, when we have children, when we get excited about a particular topic or event – those longings are never quite fulfilled. Even the best marriage, family-life, hobby, holiday etc, still on some level leave us wanting.
Lewis suggests this is because that longing in us is for the perfection of heaven and in heaven is the only place it will be satisfied. But thank goodness it will be in the end!
Don't spend your life seeking the satisfaction of those yearnings. God will complete you when the time comes. Searching endlessly for satisfaction in this lifetime will lead to disappointment and worse – you could find yourself facing divorce, financial struggle, strained relationships in your family, all because of this selfish, fruitless pursuit.
Paul teaches us to be content in every circumstance. Not necessarily happy, but content. Be at peace with God and learn that your life is not about making yourself feel better.
Former President of the Baptist Union, Kate Coleman, writes that God has a vision for each of our lives and instead of asking abstractly “What am I here for?” we should try asking God “What am I here to accomplish?” If you take a couple of weeks to read the bible regularly and prayerfully seek God's vision for YOUR life, you'll find you're not so tied to those longings after all. You've got things to be getting on with - important, blessed, good things!
So what'll it be? Look back on your life in your golden years and ask “Did I feel good? Did I get what I wanted?” or look back on your life with God and say “Look at everything I accomplished with Him!”
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