i can't get no... satisfaction.

A couple weeks ago, my friend and I bought the same face cream, at the same time. Well, it wasn't just any face cream. It was "Pure Gold instant effects" face cream. It promised us, right on the package, to provide instant lift and to relax our facial muscles. Later that night, I couldn't help but chuckle when I opened up an email from her saying that she tried the cream and didn't notice any difference other than a few gold flecks on her skin. Needless to say, I experienced the same "effects."

Disappointment.

But did I hang my head, sulk and angrily throw my face cream in the garbage? No. Because, truth be told- though I was disappointed, I wasn't that surprised. So many things promise the world and fail to deliver. And, if I'm honest about it, I set myself up. I hold my self responsible for the let-down. Because I am constantly looking for something amazing. Something better. Something more. And if I find it, I'm content for, maybe - a split second- and then I'm off to seek something even more fabulous than what I already found.

Interestingly, that same friend and I had a lighthearted discussion the other day about how awesome it would be to move to a house on a lake. (Not together- of course... you know what I mean). This has always been a dream of mine, but around here, unless you want to live in timbuktu, your choices are narrowed quite a bit unless you have unlimited resources. During our conversation I mused about how, for me, it probably wouldn't matter because once I got on a lake I'd want something different, because this is just how I am made. This is how we were made.

We were not made to be content.

Please don't misunderstand. I am not at all trying to imply that we are supposed to be unhappy. And certainly, we are not to be ungrateful for what we have. Jesus told us Himself, "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." (John 10:10)

But try as we might, we can never reach total contentment. Total satisfaction. Because we were not created for this world. God never intended for us to accomplish total contentment on earth. Why?

Because although our bodies were designed to temporarily live on this earth- our spirits were made for heaven.

You know, I started writing this post yesterday but didn't get around to finishing. But I got as far as writing the sentence, just above, about how our bodies are temporary, and our spirits were made for heaven. And, wouldn't you know it, last night as I opened up my Bible to my daily reading, nearly the exact words jumped out of the page at me,

"We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever... We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. So I say that we have courage. We really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. Our only goal is to please God whether we live here or there..." (from 2 Cor 4 & 5)

Talk about a confirmation! I am always amazed- and humbled- when God speaks directly to me on something I've been pondering.

As much as I would love to flatter myself and believe that this world exists to serve me... That my highest goal in life is to be happy, for my kids to be happy, and for my husband to be happy, that "goal" is so short-sighted. Because although being happy is a wonderful experience, that is not all what we were created for. That is not the purpose for our journey. God has so much greater depth than that. And he created us to experience abundance far greater than what this world could ever offer.

So, what are we doing here? What is the point?

With all my heart, I believe that we are here for a sole reason - to love, to serve and to glorify God. And when we seek that purpose first and foremost, abundance follows. Not the kind of a abundance the world will tell you matters (wealth, popularity, happiness). But, rather an abundance of peace. An abundance of faith. An abundance of strength, through the Holy Spirit, to maintain our focus and set our eyes on what what truly matters...

Because life on earth is just a journey. Not unto itself. But an opportunity - an invitation- to serve our Creator. For He is the true purpose of this journey, and eternal life, with Him, is the destination that I seek.

"Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne." Hebrews 12:2