Devotional:
‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’
John 6:34-35
It is easy to get caught in the trap of "if only." Everyone does it. We all have an "if only" that creeps into our thoughts from time to time. We all have an idea of how our life could be better if only something was different. Sometimes these are conscious thoughts, but oftentimes they are unconscious beliefs that have some control over us. For some of us who are single, we can catch ourselves thinking we would be satisfied if only we could find someone to share our lives with. Or maybe you're thinking life would be simpler and living your faith would be easier if only you were different or if only your life was different: if only you were physically healthy, if only you were straight, if only you were thinner, if only you had grown up with a dad, if only you had more money...
As humans, it is completely natural to desire good things in life, but when we believe that life is incomplete without our "if only" being fulfilled, we have forgotten that God is enough and Jesus alone can satisfy us. All good things come from God and should stir our hearts to worship Him, but our lives are made complete in Him and only in Him. Honestly, if God were to fulfill your deepest "if only," there would creep in a different "if only" soon enough. As St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in You." Indeed, Jesus is the bread of life, and all of us who come to Him will never go hungry.
Random thought: I wonder if Jesus had walked the streets of Port au Prince if he would have said he was the rice and beans of life.
‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’ Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’
John 6:34-35
It is easy to get caught in the trap of "if only." Everyone does it. We all have an "if only" that creeps into our thoughts from time to time. We all have an idea of how our life could be better if only something was different. Sometimes these are conscious thoughts, but oftentimes they are unconscious beliefs that have some control over us. For some of us who are single, we can catch ourselves thinking we would be satisfied if only we could find someone to share our lives with. Or maybe you're thinking life would be simpler and living your faith would be easier if only you were different or if only your life was different: if only you were physically healthy, if only you were straight, if only you were thinner, if only you had grown up with a dad, if only you had more money...
As humans, it is completely natural to desire good things in life, but when we believe that life is incomplete without our "if only" being fulfilled, we have forgotten that God is enough and Jesus alone can satisfy us. All good things come from God and should stir our hearts to worship Him, but our lives are made complete in Him and only in Him. Honestly, if God were to fulfill your deepest "if only," there would creep in a different "if only" soon enough. As St. Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in You." Indeed, Jesus is the bread of life, and all of us who come to Him will never go hungry.
Random thought: I wonder if Jesus had walked the streets of Port au Prince if he would have said he was the rice and beans of life.
Challenge: Look at your schedule for the next week or month and choose a day or evening that you can block off in order to spend time with God and God alone. Treat it like a serious commitment and don't double book. Try to shut down as many distractions as possible. Spend that time getting to know the God who alone satisfies your restless heart through prayer, scripture, nature, worship, etc.
