Our FLEETING Desires!

"Human desires are like the world of the dead - there is always room for more." ~Proverbs 27:20 GNT

The Old Testament book of Proverbs is a vast collection of wisdom sayings and writings that King Solomon collected during his reigning years as the King of Israel which occurred between 971 -931 BC.

What is most fascinating to even the most infrequent reader of the biblical text is the connection that these almost three thousand year-old sayings have to our world today. I have often challenged people to read through the book of Proverbs and attempt NOT to find something of value for their lives hidden in this gem of the Bible! It is hard to read the entire 31 chapters and not find something that strikes a chord with our experiences at some point along the journey of life.

Now... the verse above is one of those verses that was TRUTH in Solomon’s day and is still TRUTH today. Personally, I completely can relate to this verse. Over the course of my own life I have found that I am constantly battling the desires for more in most areas of my life. It seems that far too often I find that it is difficult to be satisfied with what I have… with what I have accomplished… with what today holds… and with what the future promises. You see… when these desires become my constant focus they keep me in a continuous state of dissatisfaction with all that surrounds me and all that God has provided. It simply seems like there is always room for more when it comes to wanting more! And the unfortunate thing in our culture and world is the media machine consistently plays on our desire for more! Advertisers thrive on the consumer’s desire for more. Sellers constantly suggest that the more we accumulate, consume, and acquire the happier we will be in life!

However… NOTHING could be further from the TRUTH!

The reality is… the desire for more… is really just a “carrot on a stick” that drives many of us to seek it with all we have and all we are. The desire for more has caused more than one person in this world to sell themselves out for the illusive fame and fortune that is supposed to come along with the acquisition of all we can get along the journey of life!

Howard Hughes, the American business magnate, industrialist, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, hotelier, philanthropist, and one of the wealthiest people in the world once was quoted as saying…

“How much is enough? Just one more dollar than I’ve already got!”

Such is the pursuit of the desires that often drive us… whether it is money… fame… success… status… position or whatever it is that we seek! It is a “carrot on a stick” that keeps our focus on our desires... on the stuff... rather that the things that really matter in the long haul in life!

Now... Hughes’ life was a perfect example of this… through his constant pursuit of the stuff of life he became afraid and suspicious of the people around him. Some say he was afraid they were only his friends because they were lining up to get a piece of the pie when he passed away and I suspect from all I have seen in life that much of that suspicion was probably true. However, his suspicious nature and constant striving led him to become mostly reclusive and in the end he became addicted to drug use in an attempt to deal with physical issues and the pain of his isolation. This led him to be practically unrecognizable when death came knocking at his door! His hair, beard, fingernails, and toenails were long, his tall 6 ft 4 in frame barely weighed 90 lbs when he died on board a flight to Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. The once famous and wealthy beyond most of our wildest dreams billionaire… died basically alone and sick from the pursuit of the desires that he chased. You see... the desires of the world are many and the pursuit of them often finds us in the very same place that Hughes’ pursuits led him to… to a very lonely death… isolated from the ones he loved and the ones that loved him.

Now… the reality in all of this is simply this… and that is… when it comes to life's journey... the CHOICES we make about the things we pursue are vitally important not only for the quality of life today…but also for eternity. We can choose to pursue our ever increasing desires OR we can choose to pursue God’s plans and purposes for our lives! God’s WORD tells us that He has a plan and a purpose for our lives (check out Jeremiah 29:11-13) that is right and good and fulfilling! What we CHOOSE to pursue with this life we've been given is extremely important and ultimately there are really only two paths to choose from and that is our desires or God's desire for our lives!

 The TRUTH is… the choice is ours to make when it comes to the things that will motivate and drive our lives… the only question is…

“Which one will you CHOOSE?”

Seeking His plans and purposes today…

Rev Trev