Salary.com has revealed in their most recent 2011 survey that only 15% of employees are satisfied in their job, 65% are looking for another job and those who are least satisfied are under the age of 30. These figures were published in spite of the fact that in times of economic downturn you'd expect people would be grateful to actually have a job!
Do you live in your ideal home? Is the car you drive the one you'd always wanted? Are you married to the person of your dreams? Do you truly love the work you do? Do you like your body shape? Do you enjoy Mondays? Are you considering delaying your retirement, because you are enjoying the life you live? Do you go on holidays just so you get some rest from doing too much of what you love? If you are able to answer all of these questions with a resounding 'YES!' you are not only an unusually rare individual, but you also should be a person most envied, according to the standards set for true happiness.
The reality is that the satisfaction people crave is not found in our surroundings. Even the manufacturers know this. That is why the new model vehicle that is on display in the showroom today will be superseded by a better model next year. The same people that are sleeping overnight outside an Apple store to secure the latest model iPhone, will soon want to replace the handset they had to have.
Jesus said: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6)
What does that mean? Simply put, if you make your relationship with Jesus your number one priority, all other areas of life will be enjoyed. Instead of looking for the latest, you will enjoy what you have longer. Instead of longing for the weekend, you will find pleasure in the job God has given you.
I heard the story of some men who had survived a shipwreck. They were floating in a life boat in the middle of the ocean. After a few days they ran out of water. They all looked with great longing at the water in the ocean. There was so much of it, if only they could drink it. One of the men kept reminding the others. "Don't drink that seawater!" After only a day, one by one, they gave in to their thirst. Only two days later the survivors were rescued. All of the men who drank water from the ocean had died... from thirst.
The Bible says: "Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts at you. This world as you see it is on its way out". (1Corinthians 7:21 The Message) Of course we can enjoy nice things, even new things. Yet, the things that are here are only temporary and can never satisfy the spirit of a man, who like his Creator, is eternal.
