"There is more!"

 

A thought by Shaun Nepstad from his book, Don't Quit in the Dip (p. 43). Worthy. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

Now that is a great thing to know.

Shaun says, "A lot of things in our world promise 'more,' but there’s actually only One who can deliver more, and that’s Jesus. Only He can offer us the deep satisfaction that our hearts are longing for. He promises us, 'A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of' (John 10:10 MSG, emphasis mine). The devil came to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came to bless, give life, and restore."

He goes on, "We have an innate desire for more; discontent is the human condition. Either you haven’t accomplished all that’s in your heart, or you have achieved all your earthly goals only to discover it doesn’t satisfy. What you thought would deliver the ultimate fulfillment has failed to deliver, and you still feel empty.

"There’s something inside of you and me that believes there’s more than what we are currently experiencing. God put that feeling in your soul. His thumbprint. It’s His purpose bubbling up in us to draw us to Him, to find everything we long for in Him. It’s called the abundant life. He’s providing heaven as our ultimate and great reward, but He also wants you to live this abundant life on earth. For those who put Jesus first, they 'will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come' (Luke 18:30 NLT, emphasis mine). It’s not either/or; it’s both/and.

Shaun continues, "Many of us ... don’t know there is more until we taste a little of God’s goodness. But the devil doesn’t want to just keep you from experiencing more; he wants to kill, steal, and destroy all that you’ve had, have, or dream of. Jesus came to give life. It is real life. It is eternal life. It is more than you can think or imagine, and it can begin today."

He says, "We all want more! Usually, when we envision more, we think of that certain car, or that particular house, or that dream job with that dream salary, or that perfect relationship we’ve created in our minds. So what keeps you awake at night as you think, If only I had , then I would finally be content? But again, the problem is nothing in this world can permanently satisfy. Fulfillment does not come from more stuff; it comes from more of God. It comes from a relationship with Him and then walking in His purposes for your life. That’s it! But most people quit in the dip before they discover this."

He then says, "Are you searching for meaning in meaningless stuff? Does life feel disappointing and hopeless, and you feel so tired of it all? I think all of us hit a patch like this at some point. Seeking fulfillment in the wrong place can make you want to quit in the dip, and it can put you in the dip in the first place. Remember: Fulfillment does not come from more stuff; it comes from God.

"What I mean by this is that a real relationship with Jesus is where you find unconditional love, indescribable peace, joy, forgiveness, hope, healing, and so much more. Yes, there’s more to life than what you’re currently experiencing, but could it be ... that you’ve been looking in the wrong places? It’s so frustrating when you’re looking for ice cream and realize it’s the garbage truck. Solomon finally admitted in the last chapter of his book that purpose comes by putting God first and obeying Him. Or maybe you’ve been living unaware ...  that more is even possible?"

Will you reach out to God and find real fulfillment? Will you?

Yes, yes!