“You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” Psalm 145:16
Everyone I know is somewhere in the process of decluttering. Every season, bags of clothes, knick knacks, appliances and whatnot make their way to thrift stores, and yet the process of purging our hoards is never finished. This is because of an odd phenomenon that as soon as we have an empty space, we feel the need to fill it. Whether we fill them with tokens of class and stature, of enthusiasm or entertainment, we all have a desire for more, even when we realize we have too much.
We acquire to satisfy some desire in us: the promise of happiness, security, convenience, etc. It’s much like the child who begs for a specific toy during Christmas, acting as though they need it or they will die, and 1 day after they open it, if we’re lucky, the novelty of it wears off, and they’re back to searching for the new thing that will make them happy. Solomon, in Ecclesiastes, details how he denied himself nothing, and amassed wealth of silver and gold and in the end, it did not satisfy.* We know this, we have seen this play out in our own lives, and yet, we are defenseless against the call to consume. In keeping up with the Joneses, we enslave ourselves to heavy debts and make money a taboo subject so our shame, our insatiability, will never be exposed or judged.
While our culture has set itself up appealing to ravenous consumers, the Father has called us to rest in satisfaction, as He desires to provide exactly what is sufficient for the moment you are in. Today, we acknowledge the panic and worry in our hearts about never having enough and open ourselves to being satisfied by a Father who loves to give good gifts to His children, and provide not only their daily bread, but even the desires of their hearts.
*Ecclesiastes 2
Reflection:
What is God highlighting concerning your acquisition habits?
How could the spiritual practice of abstaining from acquiring more bring you closer to the satisfaction God is calling you?
Prayer
Father God, I long to rest in the satisfaction You’ve designed me for. I turn over my worry and panic that says if I do not acquire more, I will not be ___________ and exchange it for Your truth, that the lilies do not labor or spin and yet they are the most beautiful dressed in all of creation, and as you satisfy the earth and all its creatures, you are able to satisfy me. Forgive me for chasing after that which rusts and breaks and never satisfies. Fill me with your contentment. Amen.
