29 - Aligning Desires with Divine Purpose

In our journey as Christians, we often encounter suffering when our worldly circumstances do not align with our expectations. This discord often arises because our desires are not in harmony with God's desires for us. It's crucial to recognize that as followers of Christ, our purpose isn't to meet self-imposed standards based on worldly patterns but to embrace what God, in His infinite love, has prepared for us—blessings that far surpass anything the world offers from a materialistic standpoint.

When we truly understand that what Christ offers transcends all earthly riches, we begin to see that spiritual blessings are incomparable. These blessings are not something we can attain through worldly means; they are gifts that come only through Christ. Our misalignment of desires leads us astray. Once we realize that our deepest longings are actually echoes of God's desires for us—desires that can fill the voids we often attempt to fill with worldly solutions—we are confronted with a choice.

This choice involves a shift in perspective. We can either continue attempting to satisfy our spiritual needs with the insufficient offerings of this world, which only leads to continued suffering, or we can turn towards what truly brings peace, joy, fulfillment, and contentment: God’s righteousness, His desires, and His will for our lives. The pattern of this world—whether it involves accumulating wealth, status, or material possessions—will always leave us unfulfilled.

We suffer unnecessarily when we try to satisfy our inherent need for spiritual nourishment with worldly things. Created in the image of God and recreated in Christ, our new nature craves what only God can provide. Our true longing is for the eternal, which can never be found in the transient offerings of this world. Scripture reminds us that there is great gain in godliness with contentment—a gain not just for the life to come but also for our present existence.

By realigning our minds with what is eternally significant, we allow ourselves to see with the eyes of our hearts what God has prepared for us. This vision frees us from the superficial allure of this age. We will not be deceived into a life of suffering when there is so much more to be experienced and lived out through our relationship with God in Christ. Thus, let us continually seek to orient our desires towards the eternal, embracing the godliness and contentment that bring true fulfillment in every aspect of our lives.