God Satisfies

Ecclesiastes is a strange sort of book. On one hand, there seems to be a fairly valuable reflection on this earthly life that we're living, but every time you start to feel like you're connecting with some of the wisdom of the Teacher, he shouts out, "Meaningless! It's all like chasing the wind." 

Okay, now what?

There are a number of Christians - not a small number, unfortunately - who think that God wants us to be miserable. That if you're not miserable, you're not spiritual enough. That God is all about calling us to the hard things that are nearly impossible, that He wants us grinding out His days, that if we have anything left in the tank when the sun goes down, we didn't live that day fully enough. We missed something. We disappointed God. Something along those lines. 

Then, we have the Teacher, and he says stuff like, "Eat, drink, and be happy in your work." He says this more than once, at least some version of it. He seems to keep coming back to the idea that God wants us to be satisfied - physically, emotionally, existentially satisfied. That is somehow the ultimate goal of this human life. 

A few generations later, we end up with Jesus, and Jesus says He's come that we might have life, and have it abundantly. His life is that we love God, love one another, forgive our enemies, go the extra mile, pray, and carry our cross. 

Worldly wisdom says if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life, although this may be more a reflection on a reality than a prediction of it. 

So...what is the deal? 

I think the Teacher is right on par with the Rabbi. I think what God offers us is life abundant, and that life abundant is deep satisfaction - physical, emotional, existential satisfaction. 

This probably sounds crazy to those of you who have not experienced this in your life yet. It brings a tingle of deep grace to those of you that have. And as I say that, let me also say this - remember that God's timing is not our timing. 

I have done some really cool, really good things in my life. I have had some awesome seasons that I would not trade for the world, seasons that I would call wholly and thoroughly good. But at the same time, I would tell you that those were not seasons of deep satisfaction for me. They were seasons of struggle, of insecurity, of questions, of growth. They were times in which I learned to love Jesus more deeply and to know His heart for me. They were times in which I spent a lot of time wondering and some time wandering and never really knowing if those times were the times or not, though I could not have said they were not good and rich and full and wonderful. 

I am blessed now to be in a season where I'm starting to experience the kind of deep satisfaction that the Teacher talks about. What God wants for me - to eat, drink, and be happy in my work. When my soul just breathes more freely and more deeply and there's this completely content sigh that just sort of seeps out slowly. If you know, you know; if you don't, I pray that one day, you will. (And God is good and faithful to do so, if you keep following Him.) 

It's been in the most unexpected places, in the most unexpected ways, but every time I start to feel a little dissatisfaction start to seep in, a little curiousness about whether this is it or whether there is more, a little guilt about not doing more, being more, having more, whatever, I feel this little tug of God that pulls me back and asks me settle here. At least for this season. Draws me in and reminds me to simply let my soul be satisfied. To eat. To drink. To be happy. 

It's okay to do that. God desires this for you. Listen to the wisdom of the Teacher. 

And if it so happens to be chasing the wind? Well, my friend...sometimes, the wind simply needs to be chased.