Question of the day
There is a saying that goes that if a person is completely satisfied by God then regardless of circumstance and what’s going around the person, the person will feel satisfied? However, can this state truly be reached? Let’s say hypothetically one is completely satisfied by God. In fact, he/she is so satisfied that he/she wants everyone else to receive the satisfaction from God that he/she has received. However, with this desire, is it,
a.) A God-given desire?
My next question I present is if let’s say he/she sees that other’s aren’t receiving the fullness of God and the satisfaction.
b.) What would be the bibilical way to react?
Where does the balance come in for us as Christians who have met, encountered, and live a life with Christ to say “God I love You so much, but I want you to be known to my friends too because you’re just that awesome” Does this mean one doesn’t think God just for him/herself is good enough. Is God not sufficient?
Honestly, and that’s where I wonder. It’s like I know God’s sovereign and everything, but it’s like going to sleep on a full satisfied stomach while your fellow man is starving and famished going to sleep. How is that really fair? And to top it off, to have God say, “Don’t look at that circumstance, but be satisfied solely by me”
God, why won’t You come and manifest your power to Your creation?
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3 comments:
hey daniel dongseng! first of all, i like this idea! open forum! bae and i talked until 4:30 am last night about theological things. it was quite interesting. anyhow. your questions are interesting.
First, i want to address the saying you mentioned: If a person is completely satisfied by God then regardless of circumstance and what's going around the person, the person will be satisfied.
Your first question: Can this truly be reached?
In order to answer this question, we must understand the idea of satisfaction. in the normal, human sense of the word, it basically means we are content with something. its a feeling. its a state of being. its a fulfillment of a physical or emotional or mental desire or need. but i think in this case, it means that you can be satisfied and still feel like sh**! its like dang God i have no idea wut the heck is going on here but im satisfied that you are my Helper, God, Friend, Father, etc. etc. im not satisfied with the situation. but im satisfied with You.
Can this statement truly be reached? I ask myself the same thing. I think in the end, yes. But in life, its VERY HARD TO. its like even tho u love God, you may have so many questions or things you just dont understand, and not feel satisfied at ALL. you may not be satisfied with how things are run around here (in this world). and of course there are ppl who ARENT satisfied with God (but i would argue its cuz they dont know him very well). So i think this entirely depends on the individual. but i think its reachable.
Is it a God-given desire to want someone else to receive satisfaction from God?
IT HAS TO BE. human beings are selfish and naturally dont want to give a crap about someone else. seriously; who actually would volunteer to cast out demons? id be like uh get that away from me wut is that?! but its a straight up commandment, so anyone who follows this or has the desire to fulfill this--it has to be from God. there is no way such a desire can sprout from our evil little souls.
What would be the biblical way to react if someone isn't receiving the satisfaction?
i dont really get this question, or i guess, like why our reaction is important at all. whatever satisfaction the other individual is receiving from God is purely between that person and God. we can as outsiders only help or encourage or build up, but we cant be in control of the level of satisfaction they receive. so how should we react? i would just say, look at how jesus reacted. hes like "Do you believe me? Okay go away. Don't tell anyone. follow me though." hes so contradictory but so full of truth. its like take it or leave it (but not in the apathetic, careless sense). for us i would just say react with truth and prayer.
Lastly, i dont think that Christians who want their friends to know God means that they think God is not sufficient. this is actually just completely contrary to what the Bible says. so my note is: see Bible.
anyway this was fun and it made me think. hope it was helpful dLEE.i wasnt as thorough as i wanted but thats cuz i only had 2.5 hrs of sleep. bye!
wow Jane, that was a terrible commentary. just kidding.. i actually loved it. a lot..(sorry i'm breaking the rule about commenting on other people's comments, but since its positive, I figure it should be ok)
I think that wanting to see other people come to know God and receive His fullness and blessings is God-given (unless it stems from some personal ambition for glory or wanting everyone to believe in what I do simply for the sake of validating my own beliefs, rather than for God's own glory), because it is actually God's desire! By giving us the Great Commission to go out and spread the Gospel far and wide, Jesus reveals to us His deep desire to see the whole world know Him. So when we see someone who doesn't know God and/or isn't living in the fullness and satisfaction of God, its perfectly God-given to want them to do so. While the "I want to see others come to Christ because He's that awesome and I want them to share this joy too" mentality can be a personal motivation to go and evangelize our friends, similar to the "I want to see them saved so they don't go to hell" mentality, ultimately the greatest and most important thing to remember is that all this is God's own desire. God wants everyone to know Him and give their lives to Him. Looking at it from this perspective gets rid of any vestiges of personal ambition and the "if I hunger to see others know God too, does that mean I'm not truly satisfied" problem, because its no longer about you at all, but its about God and the fact that evangelizing the world is His desire first and foremost. So whenever you go to sleep on a full stomach wondering why person X is doesn't have the luxury of doing the same, just know that God doesn't think its fair either, because He wants that person to be just as full and satisfied as you, so what you're feeling is actually a reflection of God's own heart!
As for why God doesn't just reveal his power and glory to the world so that its undeniable that He si God, well, like Jane said, Jesus never forced himself on anyone; He always let them decide for themselves whether to believe or not. To His disciples, he would ask, "who do you say I am?" rather than straight up telling them "I AM THE FRIEKING SON OF GOD." He did give them signs and wonders here and there to add credibility to his claim, but he pretty much left the people to choose for themselves whether or not they wanted to believe.
So to sum up, yes, wanting others to know God is definitely God-given because it is actually God's desire, and God let us have free-will to choose whether or not to believe. And that's why God doesn't just unleash power overwhelming on the world.
oh, and also, I think being satisfied with God is separate from being satisfied with the way the world around us is. Its probably inevitable that we'll be dissatisfied with the world because its so imperfect, and will always be so until Jesus comes again. So when we see people in the world living in sin without Jesus, feeling bad about that is different from letting God satisfy you in your own life.
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