Dr. Hans Selye researched
and popularized a tiny membrane in the back of our head known as the RAS:
Reticular Activating System. Your RAS has a primary function: it moves you in
the direction of your dominant thought at that moment. We naturally act on what
fills our minds. When we become preoccupied with a thought, eventually we want
to act on it. This is what many are trying to do in their lifetime…find
satisfaction. You will notice that people are leaning towards this direction.
When they change job, buy clothes, new cars and many others…the main idea of it
all is to satisfy what is missing and what they do not have. Especially when
one compares what they have and what others have, that’s when the spirit of
dissatisfaction begins to manifest strongly. The urges within become a nagging
feeling that needs to be satisfied. However, to others it became the dominant
thought and course of action. Thus, all energy and attention are fully utilized
in obtaining the desires and its wants both positively and negatively.
Former CBS
anchor, Dan Rather, found himself unprepared for a television interview with
Mother Teresa. Ron Mehl described the encounter this way: "All of Dan's standard approaches were
inadequate. And the little nun from Calcutta didn't seem inclined to make his
task easier. "When you pray," asked Dan, "what do you say to
God?" "I don't say anything," she replied. "I listen."
Dan tried another tack. "Well, okay...when God speaks to you, then, what
does He say?" "He doesn't say anything. He listens." Dan looked
bewildered. For an instant, he didn't know what to say. "And if you don't
understand that," Mother Teresa added, "I can't explain it to
you."
You may find
yourself bewildered like Dan Rather with that kind of response. It might seem
odd yet Mother Theresa found her satisfaction in the area of praying this way.
It is not about the words you say or how many words you’ve said but the fact
that there is a feeling of satisfaction in what you do. You see, to find
satisfaction in life, stop looking at others and begin to see what God has
given you at the moment. Never measure what you are and what you have with
others. That’s where we miss the whole point of life and living. It is not
about competing with your neighbor or anyone else for that neither matters in making
them the measurement of what you need to attain. Here’s the botomline: God did not make us to compete with others
but to find satisfaction only from Him.
The apostle
Paul gave us a very important lesson on this subject. Read carefully what he
has written to the church in Philippi as stated in Philippians 4:11-13, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have
learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in
need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being
content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living
in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV)
Being content and satisfied must be learned. It must be acquired by discipline
and focused. In Paul’s case, it is through Jesus that gave him strength to be
content in whatsoever circumstances whether good or bad. The situation at hand does
not dictate the satisfaction and contentment but the knowledge that one needs
to be content regardless of the situation is vital.
Moreover,
consider what he has taught his disciple Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-10, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought
nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food
and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall
into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all
kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and
pierced themselves with many griefs. (NIV)
This is an
important principle to be contemplated daily and should remind us of our
mortality. Remember that life is too short to be spent in pursuing the things
that we cannot achieve in this lifetime though how hard we may try. Look around
you and see how much we have already…family, friends, shelter, food,
employment, clothing, money (though not plenty!) and many others. Jesus gave a
stern warning in Luke 12:15, ‘Then he said to them,
"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does
not consist in the abundance of his possessions."’ (NIV)
How true! What
we have is not our life but they are part of our life. Therefore, begin to
evaluate your life’s satisfaction. Where is it now? Have you found it or still
looking for it? Try Jesus as Paul did. You might find it only in Him and
through Him.
Let’s talk
again!
