Are you satisfied? Am I? It’s no secret that many others are not, but are you?

We read the stories of people at the top of their game — those who have reached milestone achievements. Still, they continue to feel a certain sense of emptiness, a longing for something else to bring deeper meaning to their lives, and a satisfied feeling of fulfilment. We believe we have the answer for them. We want them to hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that Christ will meet their deepest needs. But what about your current status as you read this — are you satisfied?

It was an outdoor class on this particular day. The Teacher took His students to a high ridge overlooking the Sea of Galilee, and He began His lesson for the day. We can only imagine the facial expressions of the learners as they listened to the lesson. They weren’t rolling their eyes over some hum-drum lesson, thinking, “We’ve heard all this before – yadda yadda.” No! What they were hearing wasn’t the usual religious stuff – highfalutin piety. The spiritual curriculum that day challenged their thinking to the core.

One point in the lesson comes into focus just now: 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6

As the disciples listened to what we now call The Beatitudes, no doubt they instantly connected the qualities He highlighted with the very characteristics they had been observing and admiring in Jesus Himself. Such meekness and humility; pure and holy, meek and mild; merciful, poor, persecuted, pure and a peacemaker indeed. A satisfied, contented, and happy [blessed] Man (Psalm 1) — even in sorrow and rejection.

Physically, when you are hungry and thirsty, not much else is on your mind. Metaphorically, it’s no different. What consumes my thought life is the tell-tale craving of my heart. This week, what have you been craving? As you look ahead, what are you really hoping for? Are you eager for something in life that falls outside the parameters of righteousness? You will never be satisfied even if you exceed and surpass your goals.

In the same teaching session on the mountain, Jesus taught: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

If we feed and drink from our own inner and broken reservoirs of selfishness, greed and lust, we will always be hungry and thirsty — never satisfied. But if we hunger and thirst after right, upright, clean, honest, humble, sacrificial living, marked by God-pleasing and Christ honouring aspirations and activities — if that’s our daily prayer and desire, then we will be satisfied as we move forward.

Our greatest satisfaction and fullness come when we have an appetite for all that is pleasing to the Lord, craving right things and living rightly — reflecting something of the character of God as displayed in Christ.

Recently someone sent me an encouraging and instructive one-page document. Take a moment to read and print off Thirty Life Principles by Charles Stanley (1932-2023). It’s a great list, but see if you can improve it.

In closing, is righteousness my focus this year? Am I hungering and thirsting for it? May this promise be underlined in our hearts:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6

Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you –  in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.