Psalm 1:1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
I’ve always struggled with being content and rejoicing in all things (Phil 4:4). Undoubtedly, I find great joy in my family, work, and ministry, but there are certain seasons in life in which I get restless. There are times when I’m overwhelmed with hunger pangs for more.
I’m sure I’m not alone. There are people in the Bible who felt that way. Solomon, a great and wise king, talks about feeling this way the book of Ecclesiastes. He writes, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” (Eccles. 1:2). Solomon is saying that he’s struggling to be content (among other things). There were even a few of the kings in the Old Testament who challenged the status quo of the high places and wanted more for God’s people. They were hungry for change and growth.
The most obvious example of a struggle to be content we find throughout the book of Psalms. The majority of the psalms contains cries of frustration, despair, and desperation. The psalmist is often driven to pray out of despair.
We even find this in the New Testament. John the Baptist, who was in prison not knowing if he would ever be released (and he eventually died in prison) was in despair so he sent messengers to Jesus to ask if he was truly the Messiah. In other words, John was asking if Jesus would deliver him from his suffering in prison.
Those of us who find difficulty in being content, and who have a constant hunger for more, are in good company.
What can we learn from these great examples from the Scriptures? First, hunger tells us that we’re alive and health. A corpse isn’t hungry. In fact, a corpse doesn’t feel anything. Further still, a sick body doesn’t get hungry. A healthy body craves nourishment. Being hungry for more and having a desire to go further, reminds us that we’re alive.
Second, and related to this, because spiritual growth will never end, there will always be more that we can learn—more wisdom to gain. This means that while we may experience moments of joy and fulfillment, those moments will never last (until Christ returns). If we were ever fully satisfied and content, then it would mean that there was nothing more to learn and no more room for growth. I don’t know about you, but I want to always be growing!
The third lesson we learn from Jesus himself. Jesus was in despair in the garden just before he was handed over to the guards for his crucifixion. However, just before this, he shared in the Passover meal with his disciples. In that meal, he gave thanks for the fact that he would suffer (Lk 22:19). I look at Jesus’s example and wonder, how could he be thankful for this? Then I realize that Jesus isn’t happy because he’s suffering, he doesn’t find joy in being nailed to the cross. Rather, Jesus finds joy in obeying his Father. There’s nothing more satisfying than obeying God.
Obedience to God produces the greatest joy any human can possibly experience.
The reason that we are fulfilled, content, and filled to the brim with joy when we obey God is because it is that for which he created us. Obeying him is our very purpose. It’s hardwired in us. It’s in our DNA. When we do that which we were created to do, we’re in sync, in harmony with God himself and his creation.
Want to be happy? Just obey (Ps. 1).
