A Holy Dissatisfaction...

Dissatisfaction manifests itself in various ways. It may show up as an uneasy feeling, like something is missing or just not quite "right," whatever that means. Sometimes a longing for something we may not be able to put our finger on or a strong uneasiness of something missing gnaws at our sense of well-being. At other times, it glares so brightly at us that we know exactly what we are dissatisfied with. However, it comes, it leaves us unsettled and sometimes even rattled.

There is a holy phenomenon that is spiritual dissatisfaction, and it can manifest itself in the same feelings as described above. It happens as a natural outflow of humans being created in the image of God as learned in the first chapters of Genesis. Because of our origination, we are, by our very nature, spiritual beings. One doesn't become a spiritual being when he enters into a personal relationship with God - he is born that way. And whether he ever has a personal relationship with God or not, he is still a spiritual being. That means every person has a soul, which will never die but will end this earthly life only to enter eternal life.

Thus, every person has a holy dissatisfaction that can only be satisfied by God. It comes in two stages: a longing to know God, and a longing to know God better and better. See, for the unbeliever, there is a deep desire in his heart to know the God who created him, to enter into a personal relationship with Him. Obviously, he doesn't always recognize who or what this deep desire is for. Until that recognition comes, he will try to fill that longing with other things - some good and some not-so-good. Family, work, being a good person, giving back to the community, etc., are all good, but at the end of the day, something is still missing. Too many times, destructive behaviors and choices are made thinking that dark hole will be filled only to realize the uneasiness is still there along with the consequences, some of which may last for a lifetime. I have heard many stories of people who tried to settle the uneasiness in their lives with many different things that didn't work. But once they entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they finally experienced a peace that not words could not explain (Philippians 4:7). Their lives didn't suddenly become perfect, and they still had to deal with life's issues and consequences of their past choices, but the void was gone, and they had access to the God who will supply all their needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).


Once a person has a personal relationship with Jesus, the holy dissatisfaction moves to the second stage. The need to know God morphs into a need to know Him on a deeper level - His character, His likes and dislikes, His plan and purpose for the individual. It is much like any budding relationship. The more one knows a person, the more one wants to know and the more time one wants to spend with that person. Going back to the beginning in Genesis, God created man for companionship. He created him in His own image so they could enter into a relationship. Therefore, the desire for that spiritual relationship is inherent. Paul often wrote about his desire to know God on a deeper level, to become more like Him. The desire was/is so strong, that it was/is a NEED. Paul writes about that need comparing it to an athlete running a long-distance race in Philippians 3. Some scholars think he is referring to an athlete competing in a chariot race. In the ancient Olympics, the chariot race was one of the most anticipated events. However, the chariot was not what we typically picture. It was a wooden platform balancing on two wheels with nothing to hold on to or brace against. The athlete had to balance himself while pushing the horses forward. It was a tremendously strenuous feat taking every muscle and nerve fiber to stay balanced and in his lane. That's the picture when he uses the term "press on" and says, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14) The prize he's referring to is knowing Jesus on a deeper, more intimate level - to become more like Him. Paul was never satisfied with His relationship with Jesus. He always wanted/needed more.

If that was true for Paul, think about the average believer! That is what a holy dissatisfaction is about and why a holy dissatisfaction is essential for spiritual growth. If you are feeling stagnant or frustrated or even disconnected, ask yourself about your spiritual condition. Usually, that is the root of all misery. I did not say all problems! Problems are a part of this life. How we deal and feel about our situations is contingent on where we are in our relationship with Jesus. If we are where we need to be with Him, then that unexplainable peace envelopes us. If not, then we are at the mercy of anger, sadness, frustration, bitterness, depression, and the list goes on...

We should never let ourselves get "satisfied" in our relationship with Him. When satisfied, we stop pressing onward; we stop growing. Instead, we should cry out to experience holy dissatisfaction - just as David did in Psalm 42:1-2. "As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, for the living God..."

Sibling Rivalry...

If you have a brother(s) or sister(s), you have probably experienced sibling rivalry to some degree. I have an older sister and an older brother, but we are all spread out with four to six years between us. So we were not so close in age as to be competitive with each other. Psychologists tells us that birth order makes a huge difference in how one learns to relate and cope with others throughout their lives. I am the "baby" of the family and also experienced a bout with a devastating disease when I was two years old. So I know that I was treated differently than my brother and sister. Did these things impact my relationship with my siblings? Yes, no doubt they did. It is often said that the baby of the family is spoiled and not held to such an exacting standard as the older children, especially the eldest. I have to say from my personal experience as the baby and as the mom of two children, that is pretty much how it goes. Then in my case, add a debilitating disease, and for the older kids, you get disaster! No doubt, there were times in our younger days, when my sister and brother got fed up with the extra time and attention my parents gave me. They were often shuffled off to stay with relatives while my folks stayed with me six hours away from our home. I am sure there were activities they had to forgo because of my situation, and times when they were sick of hearing something like, "Don't be rough with Debbie." I know myself well enough to know that had the roles been reversed, I would have tired quickly of the world seeming to revolve around one them. We are all human.

When we pick up the story of Jacob's family in Genesis 37, we run into sibling rivalry at its worst. Jacob had twelve sons by four different women, but only the youngest son, Joseph, was the son of Rachel, the love of Jacob's life. It's obvious that Jacob favored Joseph from the time he was born. That favoritism did not set well with the brothers, and because they were human, jealousy, hatred, and bitterness took seed in their hearts and bloomed into full-blown treachery.

At this point, I encourage you to read Genesis 37, if you haven't, and get a feel for the family dynamics in Jacob's brood. It was dicey and no one, including Jacob and Joseph, was without fault. No, the brothers did not react in a godly way to Jacob giving Joseph a "coat of many colors" that was similar to what men of high standing would wear. It wasn't the normal dull-colored, short sleeve tunic that most teenage boys his age wore. Now think about this for a minute. If the father had always favored the little brother and then crowned him with this expensive, royal-like garment, they would naturally be angry. I'm not saying their attitude was right, but it was natural. Sometimes we seem to focus on their actions without considering why they felt the way they did. When we put ourselves in others' shoes, we sometimes see ourselves.

Joseph didn't always help his plight with the brothers, either. I mean, did he have to share his dreams with them? Dreams that put them subservient to him. According to Warren Wiersbe (see my Bible study references on the left), it was most likely God's will that the brothers and then Jacob hear about his dreams. However, the problem might have been in how Joseph presented it to them. You know, presentation is the thing! How we say something can instill peace or insight riot! Joseph was a bit brash and perhaps flaunted his favoritism when he should have shown humility.

Anyhow, when Jacob sent Joseph out to check on the brothers, the last straw had been drawn. Galations 5:19-21 tells us that the deeds of the flesh are, among other things, enimities, strife, jealousy, anger, disputes, and envying. Take your pick - they were all present as the brothers connived a way to get rid of Joseph without his blood literally being on their hands. After stripping him of his coat and throwing him into a deep pit from which he could not climb out, they ended up selling him as a slave to some Ishmaelites who were passing by on their way to Egypt. (Ishmaelites - get the connection?) When they returned home, they took the coat, which they had dipped in blood, to their father who then assumed the boy had been devoured by some wild animal.

Now, how's that for sibling rivalry gone too far? What can we learn from this episode in history? Many things starting with these:

• Jealousy, hatred, and bitterness are an all consuming fire. Whether they thread through families or other relationships, they are costly - if not deadly. They are listed in Galations as deeds of the flesh because they are natural, human reactions. However, they can be countered and overcome by the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who lives in the heart of a true believer.That's what putting on the "new" nature is all about.
• Favoritism is a destructive force and has no place in any of our relationships. Whether it's family, work, or social situations, it will breed the deeds of the flesh. The outcome will not be good. Aren't you glad that Jesus knows no favorites? He loves me regardless of what I do or don't do, and He died for all and does not pick and choose to whom He offers salvation, He gives a royal cloak to ALL who receive Him.
• We need to "grow up in Christ." Joseph learned about God from his father Jacob, and followed His teachings. But when God gave him some spiritual insight, he handled it poorly. He reacted with arrogance instead of humility, and it fueled the hatred of his brothers. The fruit of the Spirit, proof that one is growing in relationship with Him, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galations 5:22-24). Joseph could have benefited from some of those.
• Ultimately, God is in control and He will see His will through. We will never know if all that transpired between the brothers and Joseph was God's will or if He just allowed it. But, if you have read on in Genesis, you know the end of the story. God's people were saved from certain death by famine because of the role Joseph came to play in the government of Egypt. Once again, we see the truth of the promise in Romans 8:28 - "All things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes."

Sibling rivalry is part of the natural course of growing up with brothers and sisters. Enough said about that. But think about sibling rivalry within the body of Christ. We are brothers and sisters through His blood. When we let the deeds of the flesh control our motives, actions, and words, we are instruments that can infuse that same all-consuming fire witnessed in Jacob's family into our spiritual family.

Woe be to those who mess with God's family!

Where's the Bitterness???

 The writer of Hebrews defines Faith as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Hoping for children was what all young married couples did. Zach and Liz were no exception. They hoped, they prayed, they hoped, they prayed, and it did not happen. Elizabeth was branded as “barren”, and Zacharias could have put her away and taken another wife. Being barren was not a good thing in those days. That label brought with it serious social consequences, and she certainly faced raised eyebrows when she approached gatherings of other ladies in their community. They were surely known as the old couple who could never have children. A mixture of shame and pity shrouded them.

I can’t even begin to imagine her surprise when she learned that she was pregnant! Today we think it odd when a woman over forty gives birth; just imagine what we would think if an eighty year old lady became pregnant! My mind won’t even go there! But let’s look at how Liz handled her surprise.

Scripture tells us that she kept herself in seclusion for five months. Apparently, that time was a time of spiritual soul-searching for her. She concluded that the “Lord had taken away her disgrace among men.” It’s important to note here that when she and Zach are introduced to us in Luke 1, they had been living with their disgrace for many years. Furthermore, we should remember that they were “both righteous in the sight of God and were walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Law.” Now here’s my question. How did Liz keep bitterness from consuming her? She had every right to be disappointed that she had not been able to have a child. Disappointment breeds anger, and anger breeds bitterness. Where’s the anger and where’s the bitterness in her life? How was she able to continue walking blamelessly with the Lord throughout her life? I think it was her relationship with the Lord that gave her an uncommon peace.

It wasn’t just those five months of seclusion that had been a spiritual journey for her. Most of her life had been a spiritual journey. Even when she was a young woman and barren, she walked blamelessly in her relationship with God. Years down the road, when other couples their age were becoming grandparents, she walked blamelessly with God. Scripture doesn’t give us detailed insight into Liz’s mind through those years, so we don’t know how much she wrestled with anger and bitterness or if peace came easy to her. When big things don’t happen for me the way I hope, I do wrestle with anger and sometimes bitterness. Oh, that I could continuously walk blamelessly with God!

Let’s continue Liz’s story. While she was in seclusion, the same angel that had appeared to Zach, appeared to her cousin, Mary. In the proclamation that Gabriel gave to Mary about giving birth to the baby Jesus, he told Mary that Liz was also pregnant with a special child. The last thing the angel said to Mary was, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one! Not only had God allowed Elizabeth to become pregnant in her old age (and she would later give birth to a healthy baby boy), now Mary was going to become pregnant while still a virgin. Soon after learning the news from the angel, Mary went with haste to see Liz.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. At that point, Liz cried out a blessing upon Mary and her baby, who was to be the Lord. Liz seemed to understand her pregnancy and the roll her child was to play in the coming of the Lord.

Her faith had seen her through to the purpose of God in her life. She faced a crisis of Faith early in her marriage, but did not allow anger and bitterness to ruin her life. Keeping her relationship with God from being stained by bitterness allowed her to protect her relationship with Zacharias. 

So….. What do we learn from Zach and Liz’s crises of Faith? How we react at that critical and decisive moment may frame the rest of our lives. It certainly impacts our spiritual journey. Sometimes we react with anger, fear, and doubt. However, if we give that over to the Lord and walk with Him through the crisis, we will grow stronger and taller in our relationship with Him. How we react may also frame some aspect of another’s life. We’ll never know until we walk through the crisis with Him. I think Elizabeth would tell us that God was with her at the beginning of the crisis, in the midst of the crisis, and through the end of the crisis. That’s what walking blamelessly with Him means.

Where will we go from here? Next time…

A Crisis of Faith...

It's time to comment on this week's readings from Luke. Our reading plan calls for reading from the OT and NT everyday. I've been reading the NT but just haven't posted anything about it. So, here we go with Luke 1...

A crisis is defined as being faced with a decisive or critical moment in which a decision must be made with the consequences being unsure.

Zacharias faced such a crisis when the angel Gabriel appeared to him in the Holy of Holies and announced to him that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a child, and that child would grow up to be John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. That doesn’t sound like much of a crisis; after all, most married couples look forward to having children. However, the time of barring children had long passed for Zach and Liz. Scripture tells us that Zach was old and both were advanced in years. The scripture also says that both were righteous in the sight of God and were walking blamelessly in the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

Let’s think about this for a minute. Zacharias was righteous and walking with God. So why was this a crisis of Faith ? Zach was immediately troubled when the angel appeared, and then fear gripped him. It seems that he did not recognize the angel as being from God – even though he was in the holy place interceding for his people, and the whole multitude was gathered in prayer outside the temple. Isn’t that just like us? We pray and pray, and even have others praying with us or for us, and BOOM! God shows up and fear or doubt grabs hold, and we don’t see Him through our anxiety and fear. Was Zach really praying with faith as we are admonished to by Paul? Doesn’t seem so. Would I recognize an angel of the Lord if one appeared before me? I’d like to think so; however, I am guilty of not seeing God work in and around me all the time. I find myself praying about something and then not seeing God’s answer – many times because His answer is not what I’m looking for. When His answer is not what I’m hoping it will be, I face the faith crisis of submitting to His will or not. Sometimes I don’t because His answer troubles me, sometimes it scares me, and sometimes I don’t understand it. Obviously, I’m not much different from Zach in that area.

After the angel explained to Zacharias that Elizabeth was about to become pregnant and that the child would serve a unique purpose in the coming of the Messiah, he still wasn’t convinced that God was at work. Anxiety and fear struck first, but then doubt immerged. “How will I know for certain?” Wow! That’s got my name written all over it. How many times have I sensed God’s will but kept asking, “How will I know?” If Zach had not gotten past that question, he and Liz might not have ever had their rendezvous. He did pay a price for his doubting. He was struck silent until eight days after the birth of baby John. Think what we miss because we never take that next step. Talk about the “What if’s”! Where might you be? What might you be? How would the world be different? Only the Lord knows the cost of our doubt.

Once his tongue was loosed, he began to speak in praise of God. Seeing God’s faithfulness through this crisis of faith made Zach a more powerful witness for the Lord. So, did the crisis turn out for good or ought? You got it! For good. Zach had over nine months to think about his encounter with God that day in the Holy of Holies. By the time he could speak, his first words were not, “Man, you won’t believe what I’ve been through!” It was more like, “Man, I’ve got to tell you about the greatness of God!”

How did Elizabeth face this crisis of Faith? More on that later.

Blessings, Deb