Are you satisfied with life?

So tonight we had an evening church "service". It is more like conversation with the minister, songs, and communion for anyone who may not have received any in the morning service. I got a lot from the discussion. We were in John 6. Specifically where Jesus fed the 5,000 men with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. At the end people keep following him for physical fulfillment, like more food, clothes, healing, water. Jesus turns around and says

 "²⁷  Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you..."

For the rest of the chapter Jesus pretty much tell them that only life can happen with Jesus. You can only be satisfied with Jesus. You need Him. Many people turned away from Jesus at that point. Later Jesus asks his disciples why haven't you gone and Peter replies with my husbands now favorite verse, "where will we go?"

Some questions that were posed tonight and some that I thought of were these: Why do you pursue God? How are you satisfied? What do you do to have fulfillment?

For me I sometimes pursue God to be a better mother, wife, leader, teacher. Sometimes I am satisfied when I complete a "to do" list. Sometimes I feel fulfillment when my children are obedient and my husband is relaxed. However I find myself always craving these things when I pursue these certain things. When I focus on these I get the "pulled in a million directions" feeling. It can be very overwhelming. Tonight reminded me that I pursue God, am satisfied  and am fulfilled because I am a Child of God. I have all that I need and am everything (and more) in Him. 

One instance recently, where I was very unsatisfied and frustrated with my forgetfulness, God showed me just how fulfilling it is to just DO what I already know. I had driven nearly 30 minutes from home with a co-worker to buy some snacks for children that attend our after-school program on Tuesdays. Well we were able to afford these said snacks because we received $100.00 in vouchers to shop at this local store. Guess what we didn't have when we got to the store..that's right, the vouchers. So I drived nearly 30 minutes back home while stayed and shopped. While driving I am talking to God about just how much I hate being forgetful. He brought to mind that I am working on giving my weakness to Him so that He can be my strength (2 Corinthians 12). I was focusing on this because I had taken on a job I think is out of my capabilities (more on this in other posts) it never occurred to me to apply this to my personal life. I said, "ok" what do you want me to do now. On the way back to the store there was a hitch-hiker in a brilliantly clean white shirt. I drove right past, then it occurred to me maybe he needed a ride. I called my husband, told him what I was thinking, then asked what I should do. He said I needed to pray about it and do what I believed He was telling me. When I hung up I realized that I didn't need to pray about this. The Bible is pretty clear, help those who need it (Matthew 25). SO I turned around and picked him up. He was trying to make it back home, lost job, etc. Nice guy. Grandparent age. On the way back to the store my hubby texted me saying that he wouldn't recommend it for my safety sake. HA, to late. When we made it back to the store road, I let him out. He just wanted me to take him as far as I could. That was his form of travel to get back home. Called hubby and told him what happened and the one thing I remember saying was that I was so satisfied to have done what I knew I should do. Living by the "world's safety" is very unsatisfying and hard. It was so freeing to just DO. I was thankful that God protected me and son as we helped him out. Our son even fell asleep through it! 

Peace, protection, provider. All these things I think of when I think of this event.

So I ask again: Why do you pursue God? What do you do to have satisfaction? How are you fulfilled? I am not saying I am at this point all the time. Actually I have just made it through a week were I had the "pulled in a million directions" feeling. Tonight was a wonderful reminder that I am a Child of God. He will take care of life when I focus on my relationship with Him instead of the little things (and big things) of life.