Friday, January 11, 2013

Sense of incompleteness


None of us are complete.
We have not yet reached our goal or ended our mission.
Some of us have more pressing needs; money, food, shelter, health, relief from suffering, relief from loneliness.
Others have desires;
success, riches, a partner, fame, children.
Sometimes we do feel complete, as though nothing could be improved, for example, a beautiful evening watching a sunset over a beach with loved ones. But this situation is temporary.
What is our response to incompleteness?
As followers of Jesus Christ, we look to him for comfort, peace and patience, pouring out our hearts, confessing our needs and desires, and receiving from him.
Trusting that he hears us and cares for us gives us security.
Sometimes we look for short cuts or cheap replacements.
Not only do we look for these, but they also look for us.
Not just the well known stuff like drugs, alcohol, sex and gambling, but hobbies, interests and other crazes can become idols that seem to complete us for a time, giving us new goals and a sense of achievement.
But in reality they suck the life out of us, affecting all of our relationships. with loved ones and with God, and instead of filling us they make us hungry for more, and draw from us adoration and worship, which belongs only to God.
They do not promote Godliness, rather the opposite.
These are the idols which are always inhabited by the hosts of satan, ie demons.
There is no real cure for this. If we are captivated by an idol, it will keep us unless someone stronger can defeat it and release us.
The Holy Spirit is stronger.
It is He who opens our eyes to reality.
He can so flood us as to make us see these precious objects of our love for what they really are; ugly distractions sent to stifle our lives in Christ.
The Holy Spirit can and does redirect our devotion. He opens our eyes to the beauty and wonder of our Heavenly Father.
But not without applying the cleansing of the conscience, otherwise our devotion would be more of an attempt at self redemption.
Yes we have been forgiven and yes we need to continue experiencing the reality of that forgiveness because we are weak and we are continually called by these enemies to find completion in anything but the Day of The Lord.