Unsatiated

The leech has two suckers that cry out, "More, more!"

There are three things that are never satisfied -

no, four that never say, "Enough!":

the grave,

the barren womb,

the thirsty desert,

the blazing fire.

~Proverbs 30:15-16 (NLT)

When I read this proverb this morning, I was captivated.  

I began to think about the idea of satiation.  This is defined simply as "the state produced by having had a specific need, such as hunger or thirst, fulfilled." (Dictionary.com)  The things referenced in the proverbs can never be satiated; they will always require more.  

We are beings that have moments of satisfaction.  We are hungry, we eat, and then we feel full.  We are thirsty, we drink, and then we are satisfied.  In time, the satisfaction dissolves, and we crave more.  If we repeat the cycle, we are satisfied again.

What if you had an addiction that left you with a feeling that you could never satisfy, not even for a moment?  Imagine for a moment that feeling of thirst after working outside.  Imagine if you could not get to a water source, but had to remain outside continuing to work; continuing to thirst.  Finally, someone brings you water, but the water is only a four ounce cup.  You drink, but you remain thirsty.  The desire for water never goes away.  If this went on all week, you would continually think about water.  You would constantly wonder when the next four ounce cup would come, knowing it would relieve the thirst, just a little bit.  Not much work could be done in these conditions.

An addiction takes hold of us in this same manner.  It doesn't matter what the addiction is.  What matters is that something has taken over our minds and/or bodies to consume us.  We long for the desired item, but it can no longer satisfy us.  It doesn't matter if someone tries to talk us out of the addiction, the longing is still there.  How do we overcome this?

I believe we are made to long for God.  We are made to never feel satisfied here.   The more I learn about God, the more I desire Him.  I long for the things in heaven that He promises.  I am never satisfied.  I believe my constant desire for the things of God has helped me manage my old longings for earthly things.  

I lift my hands to you in prayer.

I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.

~Psalm 143:6 (NLT)

Addicted to Sin

I cannot wait to get to the theatre to see the new movie, The Hobbit.  I am excited that the writers brought back several familiar characters.  I am oddly fascinated with Gollum.  This is a wretched, pitiful, disgusting creature that is nasty to everyone.  What would be the draw in this character?

Gollum was once a river person named Smeagol.  While on a fishing outing with his relative, he encountered a ring, one that immediately ensnared his interest.  He refused to part with the ring, killing his relative.  His continued obsession of the ring warped his thinking patterns and contributed to his insanity.  Gollum both loved "his precious" and hated his addiction to it.  

The story of Gollum could be repeated in many of us.  So often, we unwittingly stumble upon some temptation, not realizing the chokehold that it could become for us.  Whatever it is, we love it.  For some of us, the temptation is money, for others, it is food or drink.  Some of us really have a love for mood altering drugs or alcohol.  Others fall into a trap of an extra marital affair.  No matter what it is, we love the sin, but we hate what it does to us.  Sin is deadly.  

Sin will kill us, as we continue to hold on to it.  Just look at the demise of Gollum.  He died clinging to his precious ring.  But there is a truth you should know.  Sin does not have to kill you like it did Gollum.  Jesus died to save you from the trap of sin.  He has redeemed you.  All you have to do is give your sin over to him and live in his sovereignty.  

"Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.  Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin.  Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have a new life.  So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.  Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law.  Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." (Romans 6:12-14 NLT)