I am in Swaziland. A land of rolling hills, beautiful sunsets, vibrant people, poverty, disease, and a since of urgency. If something doesn’t change now with Swaziland it potentially will cease to exist by the time I’m 63. This change starts with us…humanity stepping in and fighting to preserve this nation and the people! This is not why I am writing this blog though, merely an update and something to think about.
I was sitting outside the other day watching the sunset fall behind the hills and I was overwhelmed with the question…are you fulfilled? With the race, with your decisions, and most importantly…with life. No matter what you believe or where you are in life there is one thing we all long for, fulfillment. We all want to be fulfilled with life and what we do. But, we look to things to fulfill us, making them idols, that actually end up just leaving us as empty or emptier than when we started. I have found that there is NOTHING on this earth that will ever give you true fulfillment. The ONLY thing that will give you complete and true fulfillment, that will sustain you, is Jesus.
Jesus is the one and only thing that the more you get of the more freedom you receive, the more peace you receive, the more joy you receive, the more fulfilled you are, and it all comes from Him. Everything else in this world will control you and put you in chains when receiving more and more of it. Heck, if you drink water in excess it will kill you! Think of any addictions, drugs, alcohol, clothes, food, etc. It starts off with just a little because it only takes a little to “fulfill” the desires. After a while the need for more and more is in order to be “fulfilled” because what used to “fulfill” doesn’t anymore. It starts to become a necessity rather a past time.
Even within Christianity people fall into the trap that the “Christian lifestyle” will fulfill them. Going to Sunday School, Church, Wednesday night Bible Study, mission trips (national and international), working fulltime ministry, going into fulltime missions, getting married, being “good” parents, just being a “good” Christian. Guess what, THAT WON’T FULFILL YOU! Christianity will NOT fulfill you UNLESS you are pushing after Jesus and not the religion itself. Think of all the pastors that are burnt out, struggling, hating their life. The same with youth pastors, worship leaders, the “good” Christians. Think of all the divorces in the church, all the infidelities, all the nastiness, just within the church. We are supposed to be the people living in for Christ and yet we live like the rest of the world, why? Because, we are looking for fulfillment in everything but Jesus. Our lives should fulfill us, our spouses, our jobs, our careers. But they will only fulfill us if we are finding our full fulfillment in Jesus. In finding that fulfillment in Him we will be able to be fulfilled in our lives.
Back to the original question…”are you fulfilled”? Yes, I am. It’s not because of the world race, it’s not because I’m traveling the world, its not because I’m called to become a pastor, it’s not because I have an amazing family, it’s not because of anything in this world. It’s because I’m living this relationship with my Lord and savior that we Christians call life. Hear me out, the World Race will NOT fulfill you, money will NOT fulfill you, marriage will NOT fulfill you, being a Christian will NOT fulfill you, having a good career will NOT fulfill you, unless you are finding your true fulfillment in Jesus. Without Jesus you will never be fulfilled in anything you do on this earth…good or bad.
