It is clear to anyone who observes human beings that people are born searching for something. Unfortunately, they often search in all the wrong places. Most notably, they seek meaning and satisfaction in their own happiness and pleasure. If they acquire the things that they believe will make them happy, they falsely assume they will find significance. Their pursuit of happiness, unfortunately, will lead them down a dark, depressing path, finding that even when they acquire all of the pleasures in the world, they will be left empty. There is more to life than living for our own pleasure. True satisfaction will be found when we pursue Christ over our own pleasure. He is the one whom every human heart is born longing for.
King Solomon, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes, looked for meaning everywhere in this world that he could, including his own pleasure, and he ended up empty every single time. He describes this journey in search of pleasure in Ecclesiastes 2. He wrote, “I said to myself, ‘Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.’” (verse 1). This line of thinking is common to human beings. Many people today also live naively for things that they think will make them happy. Achieving their own pleasure and happiness becomes their sole purpose. Solomon quickly described this pursuit, however, as “meaningless” (verse 1). He had lived like a king, building huge homes for himself, planting vineyards and gardens, owning a great number of livestock, collecting silver and gold, and more (verses 1-8). In other words, he acquired all of the pleasure that anyone could imagine having. As he described his search for pleasure, he wrote, “I had everything a man could desire” (verse 8). Despite this search for happiness and pleasure, he still found himself empty and unsatisfied (verse 10). Embarking on the ultimate quest for happiness and pleasure, Solomon learned that nothing on this earth will satisfy.
Of course, we know that the true source of satisfaction is found in Christ alone. As He was beside a well one day, Jesus explained to a woman there in John 4 that He gives living water. He said, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (verses 13-15). Jesus is the source of living water. He is the only one who can satisfy. Nothing in this world can satisfy our hearts like Him. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “Do we drink from the living water that Jesus has to offer, or turn to other sources that will leave us perpetually thirsty?”
What about you? Have you lived your life pursuing your own happiness and pleasure instead of turning to Christ for fulfillment and satisfaction? It is time to re-evaluate today. The things of this earth that we turn to for happiness and pleasure are temporary. They will not last. It is time to invest in the things that are eternal that will satisfy us forever.
Confess any areas of your life today where you have lived for your own pleasure. Acknowledge to God that you know these things are temporary and will not last. Ask Him to help you live for Him and Him alone, knowing that He alone will fully satisfy.
“God, as I reflect on this truth that nothing in this world can satisfy, I confess…”
1Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
