What is it that we want in life? What is it that you want? I think at our core we each want a feeling of destiny and purpose. We want to end our lives with a sense of fulfillment, that we have accomplished what we were created for. The truth is that, even though that is what we want, we aren’t sure how to achieve it and we often settle for less. Why is that? We mistake satisfaction for fulfillment.
To be satisfied is to “fulfill the needs, expectations, desires or demands of (a person).” Think of Mary. As a young, obedient Jewish girl she was fulfilling the expectations and desires of those around her, her parents, her community.. She knew the demands. She knew what was expected of her. She knew what she thought God expected of her and her life was built around fulfilling those expectations. She was satisfied, perhaps even content, “in a state of peaceful happiness,” Doesn’t that all sound good? Don’t you and I also want to feel satisfied and content? Do we?
For me, I was satisfied and content. I knew that I was fulfilling the expectations, desires and demands of those around me, of the Christian culture that I was a part of, of my family, my husband, even my own expectations. I was content being a stay-at-home mom of small children helping my husband in ministry. I was satisfied and content, but I didn’t have a sense of destiny and purpose. I wasn’t fulfilled. To be fulfilled is to be “satisfied or happy because of fully developing one’s abilities or character.” I always knew that there must be more for me. I knew that I was not fully developing my abilities or character, but I didn’t know what that would look like or how to get there. I was satisfied and content, so like Mary, I didn’t go looking for anything else. Until something happened.
What happened to Mary? An angel came to see her and tell her what God wanted from her and she said YES. But she didn’t say yes once. She said it multiple times along her journey and ended up going places and experiencing things she never would have seen if she had remained a satisfied and content obedient Jewish girl. The trajectory of her journey altered with her YES and took her past the cross into the Upper Room through Pentecost and into history. We know her name and look to her example because she said YES and fully developed her abilities and her character. She lived a fulfilled life.
Certainly, my story is not so dramatic. No angels, but a continuing sense of calling, of God speaking to me, calling me to pursue ministry credentials, calling me to more. It didn’t make sense to my expectations. It was outside my area of comfort. I was satisfied and content, yet I knew that if I didn’t say YES I would be missing something that God had for me.. So, I gave him my YES and stumbled forward.
Like Mary, my life has never been the same. I have found myself places I never expected to go and done things I never expected to do. I have found myself participating in the purposes of God on the earth and have had the joy of knowing that I am fulfilling my unique mission. Before my YES I was satisfied, even content. But as a result of my YES I find myself living a fulfilled life. It’s not easy. I am constantly challenged to give God another YES, just as Mary was, but every YES brings me closer to fully developing my abilities, and more importantly, my character. I wouldn’t go back to satisfied and content. I’ll take fulfilled and keep giving God my YES.
What about you?
Key Thought: Satisfied is not fulfilled.
A Scripture to Consider:
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Psalms 138:8 ESV
A YES Challenge: Where are you satisfied and content? What might you need to do in order to move toward fulfillment?
Prayer:
Lord, help me not to settle for satisfied, for fulfilling the expectations of others or myself. Help me to move toward fulfillment, to fully develop the abilities You have given me and to allow You to shape my character. Help me to live my unique mission. Amen.