Thursday, February 24, 2011

Satisfaction Guaranteed


Someone commented to me the other day about how strong my faith was when I was sharing with them about our going into full time missions.

And it took me off guard.

I guess that’s because I don’t always see myself as being that strong in my faith. I guess that is because I know my humanness. I know there are days that those wars inside of me are raging. Days where my flesh is stronger than my faith. Days when I question. Days when I can do nothing but fall to my knees and beg Jesus for His strength.

But it is there, on my knees, that I have grown without my even realizing it.

What the Lord has shown me is that too often we live in a ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’ kind of world.

We are told that before we take that first step, before we invest-we have to have some sort of guarantee that there is something in it for us.

Before we step out in faith, before we say yes, before we move- we need a guarantee.

A guarantee that it’s safe.

A guarantee that it will be easy.

A guaranteed that it will all work out.

But there really is no such thing.

The only guarantee we will ever have in this world is in Him.

Only, even in that we get confused.

People often believe that if they are good Christians, show up at church, tithe, volunteer and read the bible that there will be some sort of guarantee in this life.

Yet that is not at all the case.

Because you see, regardless of our faith- there will still be sickness, greed, loss, war, injustice, disease, famine and sometimes- bad things just happen to good people.

Sometimes people step out in faith and adopt a child and it is not happily ever after.
Sometimes people get married and that spouse does not remain faithful.
Sometimes we bring a child into this world to only loose them in a tragic accident.
Sometimes a missionary goes out to reach the lost and it cost them their life.
Sometimes our friends doesn’t treat us like a friend at all.

And we are left with broken hearts, broken dreams, broken bank accounts and we wonder where God was in all of it.

But the truth is- God never once told us our lives would be easy. He never once told us we would always be happy or always feel satisfied.

What He told us was that when we went through the trials in this life He would always be there...
regardless of our circumstances.

Our willingness to act, to serve, to give -has nothing to do with a guarantee and everything to do with our love for him- and not ourselves.

No one can guarantee you if you adopt a child it will be a happily ever after story.

No one can guarantee you if you don’t it will be either.

No one can guarantee you happiness.

No one can guarantee you that tragedy, pain or sickness won’t come if you make all the right choices and do all the right things.

No one can guarantee you that there will even be a tomorrow.

But what I can tell you is that if you choose to live your life trying to stay safe, trying to cling to comfort, ease, and perfection- then you will never have truly lived.

And one thing I can guarantee you is that God didn’t give you this life so you could just exist.

Trust me, you and I are not here for our comfort, happiness and ease.

There is a world full of opportunities out there for you to serve...a world full of hurting people who need to know Him ... a world full of opportunities to make your life count.

One day when we stand in front of the Lord- He will ask us what we did with the life He has given us.

Did we believe He was worth the effort, worth the risk, worth the sacrifice?


Or did WE get in the way of truly living for Him?

So if you are waiting for some sort of 'satisfaction guaranteed' before you take that first step-before you step out onto the water...

Then you are missing the point.

Because one day, when you are sitting at the feet of Jesus, then and only then, will know complete satisfaction.

And that is a guarantee.


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26 comments:

Marisa said...

For me, it is on the hardest days that knowing one day I will sit at his feet in complete satisfaction that keeps me going through the battle, pain, confusion and sadness, because on that day there will be no tears, no pain and no sickness, but greatest of all no sin.

As for now, let us continue walking in this World as ambassadors in Him.

Unknown said...

Amy - AMEN! Well done His faithful servant!

I'm going to share this post on my blog tomorrow - LOVE IT! AWESOME!

Love you so much!!!

Hugs,
Jill

Pamela Early Settoon said...

I can't wait to hear all about where God moves you and all the stories you will have to share!

Stacy said...

Well said!!
Thanks for always having words of wisdom.

Katie rayn said...

A friend from high school passed away last night. He and his wife had just adopted a girl from Russia whom they had to wait on for over a year after meeting her. They had been home with her for no more than 4 months, and his wife found him dead last night when she came home from only being gone about an hour. We are NOT promised tomorrow. His life had meaning and purpose, because he purposefully lived life. He was only 34 years old. Please pray for the Prestridge family in Louisiana.

Unknown said...

Thank you....I needed to hear this today.

Kurt and Kayla said...

This is very well written. I added it to my blog. I hope that's ok.

Just Julia said...

wow - I needed that;)

Christina said...

I really needed this today, thank you for allowing God to speak through you. God has been bringing child sex trafficking to my attention over and over again recently. I was brought to a site http://www.couragetobeyou.org We were created on purpose for a purpose! They are helping stop this horrific crime on children that is right in our communities. I am in Ohio. A quick search led me to see that Toledo is the 3rd largest city for child sex trafficking & slavery! These poor, innocent victims are usually treated as criminals & taken to juvenile hall when they need a home, love, and Jesus. The site hopes to bring awareness of this growing issue in the U.S. and establish Courage Homes for these children everywhere. I pray that God will awaken more of His people to fight against injustice and love these His children. In His love-Christina (twingrecos@yahoo.com)

Kylee said...

Oh, I needed this post today. I really, really needed to read this. Thank you!

"Are These Kids All Yours?" said...

SO very very very TRUE!!!!

Debbie Doughty said...

Amen!

My Thoughts said...

I'm so very sorry to hear about what your friend's family is going through Kristin. That is awful. )-: This family will absolutely be in my heart and in my prayers.

My Thoughts said...

So very true Amy! Another great post my friend. (-:

http://ourlivesworksinprogress.blogspot.com/2011/02/our-super-big-adoption-fundraising.html

Jenn said...

You wrote this for me today. Just for me. Really. You did.

Adeye said...

woot woot!!!!!! BRAVO, friend. Beautifully written.

Gosh, I am so excited for your sweet family.

I have some news to share with you too :):):)

trustandobey said...

This is certainly true. There are no guarantees this side of Heaven except for God's faithfulness. And even knowing this, we don't always feel like we are on God's radar when we traverse the storms. He is called Faithful and True, however, and His very nature won't allow Him to be anything less.It is so easy to think that when we do A, B and C that God will reward with D. We have gained great spiritual maturity when we realize that there are no formulas with God. And we are at peace with that.

Holly said...

a very very timely reminder. Thanks Amy. You don't know but HE does...and just now, YOU were His voice to me.
Thank you.
Holly

Karin said...

So true! Even as I grow and mature in faith, I still find myself struggling with the next assignment He gives me, wondering how it will turn out. The irony is that even though we KNOW that suffering and struggling is often the best way to get to know the deep heart of God, we still resist because of our fear.
Thanks for the reminder that there is no guarantee that things will turn out rosy. :)

Debb said...

AMAZING POST! So true and such a great reminder! THANK YOU!

MnM said...

Such a wonderful reminder that no matter how much I WANT to be in control and no matter how much I FEEL I'm in control, I'm not. God is. Very hard to let go. Thank you for your wonderful words.

The Beaver Bunch said...

We are heading to Kenya in July 2012 to pursue God's calling on our family (of 8) of full time missions and I cannot tell you how much your words have encouraged me in the last several weeks.

Seriously.

And I'm gonna need you to stop reading my diary. Okay? ;)

sleepinl8 said...

Oh hey! just read this on Forever 'n Ever's blog. Here's what I said:

How unbelievably true is THIS?! Amy's post represents the greatest form of pure and God-honest truth of how to achieve satisfaction and holiness: that there is not, in fact, an answer to the how. It all depends on God's will, because when all is said and done, it is His and only His intentions that will remain, and they are more meaningful than those of any creature in the universe. Thank you so much for teaching me this important lesson today.
Another lesson that I have been taught several times, but it remains hard for me to grasp: Reading the Bible, attending church regularly, and doing good here and there are NOT the things that will get you to the place you want to be (and in fact you shouldn't be doing it for a receiving back purpose in the first place) but if you wish to achieve true holiness, you must have faith, love, believe in God and do as He wills. HA - even just saying that to myself now it makes more sense; I shall one day wrap my mind around the truth!

Mama D.'s Dozen said...

I shared a bit of your story on my blog today (with links).

:) :) :)

hartelijk said...

Read this post, was encouraged and spurred on and put a link in my blogpost...
to find out a fwe hours later that a family that we used to go to church with have gone through a nightmare of the worst kind.
Please pray for Lora and her children (and the staff and dts students)
Running an orphanage in Kenya, armed robbers Killed her husband Ebel and harmed Lora in a very bad way , their young kids whitnessed it all. Please lift them up in your prayers.
Adriana

Whitney and Daniel Bunker said...

Thank you for that reminder as I am walking through the valley. We say "Yes" to God in all circumstances because we love and trust Him.

Whitney Bunker

http://citywithoutorphans.blogspot.com/p/who-we-are.html