After talking recently with friends who are struggling in their relationships, this sank into my soul...the act of substitution, settling, selfishness and taking in less than ideal. In essence, we are starving ourselves when what we need is nourishment I began to wonder....why it is we sometimes are satisfied with just a "basket of fries" in our marriages, friendships, our walk with the Lord?! In marriage, we turn to pornography, adultery, movies, MA tv shows, avoidance, selfishness, etc to fill us in moments of hunger. Of course, it may taste good, it may fill you temporarily and satisfy your craving for something spicy, and it's a cheap, quick fix but it's not healthy for you (body, mind, soul or spirit). It will actually destroy you from the inside out, places you can't see constricting you at the core. Sometimes we just don't care because it's easier...and it's our version of satisfaction. But that is far from the truth. Other times we are so consumed by "fries" we can't stop feasting on them and even if we know we need to stop filling ourselves on whole baskets, we can't.
It seems our culture has become so easily enticed into whatever is quick, cheap and easy, rather than what is quality and of substance. We want what we want when we want it and will have it regardless of what is best for us. We either don't care or we are consumed to the point of feeling satisfied enough with just a "whole basket of fries."
In our relationships with others, we serve up tasty baskets of fries to each other out of fear of rejection, out of hurt or lack of trust. Because it's easier. We want quick, painless and easy relationships. It takes time, trust and energy to have beautiful, solid relationships and frankly, we fall into the pit of feeling either undeserving or pridefulness and we don't see the value of our "sacrifice" in order to richly invest.
In our walk with the Lord, we feast on the whole basket of delicious salty fries even though He has a grand feast offering before us. We settle for less than the whole of what God has to offer. He has so much more to give than just fries.
Now don't get me wrong, I will be the first to admit I very much enjoy fresh, salty fries, and especially salty, sweet potato fries, but this is not the whole of my diet. It is a part of it. It's our favorite side to hamburgers on the grill. But a diet of only fries, which would certainly fill us and satisfy our tastebuds and growling tummies, will not provide nourishment that we need. We must have substantial nourishment and balance in order to thrive in body, mind and spirit. Here's the thing...you know you are going to get hungry...eventually. Why not plan for it? Be ready. Prepare ahead of time for the moment.
This is true in our marriage, our friendships and our walk with the Lord. We are enticed by "baskets of salty fries" and we fill up, leaving no room for anything else. We knew we'd be hungry. Why didn't we prepare? You want fries? Great...enjoy them on the side of something meaty, healthy, nourishing. Not every conversation we have with our spouse or our friend will be meaty, deep and soul-revealing, it's good to talk about things that fill us up like "life," "kids," "work," and "the weather" but we must have a nourishing substance for our whole heart and soul...with fries on the side. In a world that says take what you can, go the easy route, self-protect, do whatever it takes, God tells us to feast not on what is earthly, but eternal. Do not settle, excuse, or justify something less. Be satisfied in richness! Today, will you choose feast or fries to satisfy your hunger?! Filler or fullness?!
Psalm 34:8 says "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"
Be salty, but be His salt!!! Mathew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."
John 6:24-27, 33-35 "So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal."
Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
Psalm 23: 5-6 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
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