These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. John 15:11
Is your joy full? Or is it lost? Do you constantly feel like your life is missing something?
One year for my birthday I finally got to travel to a bike path I’d wanted to ride. It goes through picturesque New England villages and along a lake. Several family members joined me and we had a great day. My hope was to top it off by enjoying dinner together at one of my favorite restaurants. When dinner time arrived, a friend invited us to their house for a barbecue and everyone else jumped at the opportunity. Wait! I thought, what about me and my choice? It’s my birthday after all!
In the past I would have complained and pouted a bit. But I’m a good Christian girl, I need to be grateful and accommodating, right? So I went along. Grumbling inside but smiling on the outside. I should have been happy. We enjoyed a wonderful day and now someone was offering their generous hospitality, and I wasn’t satisfied.
We are called to be content in everything. I’ve worked hard to be less discontent. I’m learning to take things as they come, to accept people as they are and to be more accepting about what life throws at me. I moved from discontented to resigned. But happiness and joy? Not so much. They seemed way down the road beyond sight.
Why do I always feel a nagging discontent?
TD Jakes writes in his book Identity: Discover Who You Are and Live a Life of Purpose
“it was God who brought the distress signal that made you cry out to Him. He put that cry deep inside you.”
We long for happiness, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, greater faith and self-discipline. God puts those longings in us. They do not originate with us, they come from God.
The desire to experience more joy in our lives is not a feeling generated within our self because we think we lack something. It is not an indication of what we are missing in our lives. The origin of that desire is God. He gently, tenderly, purposefully laid that desire in us because He wants us to turn to Him so He can fulfill it. He makes us aware of our needs specifically so He can fulfill them.
The need doesn’t come first, the provision did. God isn’t sitting around waiting for us to call on Him to help us. We aren’t the instigators of the relationship. God is drawing you to Himself by giving you desires for the things He has already made available.
Feeling dissatisfied and unhappy is not an indication something is missing from your life. It is the gentle call of God drawing you to Himself so He can fulfill your every need.
It is not all about us and our needs! The authentic Christian life is about discovering God and who He is. When He plants a desire in our hearts, it is a message from Him revealing who He wants to be in our life. When you feel a lack in your life, be it a lack of peace, or comfort, security, or joy, it’s not because you are missing those things, it’s because God is prodding you to discover Him. We have been misinterpreting the message!
Think about the ramification and how that should change our view of our relationship to God.
This is a complete reversal of perspective. Instead of seeing ourselves as empty and needy because we sense a longing for something more, we can rejoice in knowing that feeling of lack is actually the voice of God, calling us to Himself. It is how God communicates His overflowing love.
Longing isn’t a sign of lack, it is a sign of His fullness, just waiting to be poured out to us.
Feelings of sadness, resentment, frustration, are all indicators we believe we are missing something. We got the right message, we’ve chosen the wrong reaction. If you are discontented because you feel your life is lacking something, rejoice! It’s not a sign your life is miserable. It’s a sign God has tremendous, overflowing, unstoppable joy just waiting for you. He’s calling you to receive it.
Is there something lacking in your life? God has the provision just waiting for you. Come let us know about it in our Facebook group.
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