Articles
Never Satisfied
Have you ever wondered why clothing styles are always changing? [And I don't mean from season to season.] Have you ever wondered why automobile manufacturers are always redesigning their cars? Have you ever wondered why it seems like musical styles are always changing, and new genres seem to be appearing more often? Have you ever wondered why you get bored with your meals, the songs you listen to, the TV shows you watch, or the books you read? As different as these things are, there is a common reason why all this seems to happen to us from time to time and, for some people, more often than others.
The wise writer was one who had searched the world for the things that would give him meaning to his life — that elusive 'happiness' that man seems to be always seeking. But his search ended up a wasted effort, and he discovered this after seemingly 'trying it all' while accumulating lands and possessions, and providing for himself those who would serve him and entertain him. The repeated conclusion he noted was, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind” (Eccl. 1:14). While he searched for 'happiness' in the things of this visible, material world, he did not find it, and he concluded that these things were not the source of happiness or anything that would bring meaning to life itself. He was never satisfied, it seems.
In his futile search, the wise writer noted some causes for this failure; first, he noted, “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing” (Eccl. 1:8). How many times have we discovered this in our own lives and experiences! We can't wait for our favorite musician to release their new album; we rush to buy it, we listen eagerly, then listen again and again, and it is not long before we are impatiently waiting for their next new release.
We search and research for that new car we've been wanting ever since its debut made the news. We save our pennies, we compute the numbers, interest rates on loans, and advertised prices on the web and in the newspaper until we are certain we are going to get the best price, and then we go haggle with the salesmen and sign on the dotted line, and then we take it home, Oh, That new car smell! You are thrilled you finally got it, and you make sure it is garaged every night.
You drive a but more carefully for the first few trips into town or to work; you park it at the back of the parking lot so no one puts a door ding in it. You wash it every time you see a speck of dust on it. You check the oil, the tires, and the lights just to make sure it is running smoothly and nothing ruins its newness for the next few months. And then, after awhile, you don't wash it quite as often, you don't check the tires at all, and you don't care about door dings anymore. Why? Well, you just noticed the advertisements for Brand X's new car, and now yours looks not so appealing as it once did. And then you start seeing other cars just like yours on the roads every day, and all of a sudden, it doesn't seem so special anymore.
Why do we do this? Again, the wise writer tells us: “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” In their Commentary on the Old Testament, Keil & Delitzsch noted, regarding this passage, "That which is properly aimed at here is not the unsatisfiedness of the eyes, and generally of the mind, thus not the ever-new attractive power which appertains to the eye and the ear of him who observes, but the force with which the restless activity which surrounds us lays hold of and communicates itself to us, so that we also find no rest and contentment." In other words, it is the unending cycle of this world where “there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9) causes us to yearn for something more than what is visible to the eye and perceived by the ear! To that end, Thomas à Kempis commented, "Endeavour, therefore, to withdraw thy heart from the love of visible things, and to transfer thyself to the invisible."
This cyclical world in which there really isn't anything new causes us to be dissatisfied with what we have, and with life itself, but only because we are too plainly focused on the things of this world. To that end, the wise writer speaks of other occasions of discontent. He writes of a man who labors for the mere accumulation of goods, but finds “there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches,” but he never stops to think about why he continues the vicious cycle of disappointing efforts (Eccl. 4:8).
He also writes of another who pursues material wealth, but notes, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?” (Eccl. 5:10, 11); in reality, such a pursuit is useless because, as we have seen, he will never really be satisfied with what he has or how much he has. Deep inside, buried beneath the desire for material wealth and abundance, is a desire for something this world cannot offer and which cannot be seen with the eye or heard with the ear, but will truly satisfy that inner yearning.
If we are to ever achieve true peace of mind and satisfaction that does not fade away when the leaves start turning colors, we must look beyond the visible and material things of this earth. Especially for those of us who are true followers of Jesus Christ and His word, we must heed the words of the apostle Paul, who admonished the early disciples, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1, 2). We must see the things of this world as nothing worth our focus, understanding “the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). The things eternal are the very things our hearts seek, and if and when those things are obtained, we will not be looking for anything else or better because there is nothing better!
If we are to ever find true contentment and satisfaction, we must have the mindset of those of old who “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland,” and “they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country” (Heb. 11:13-16). Their 'homeland' was not of this earth, but in heaven! The faithful today must adopt this mind, realizing “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20) and it is there we seek to be. When we achieve that, we will not ever be dissatisfied again; we will never feel pangs of discontent; we will not be longing for somewhere else to be!
On this earth, things and people and moments of joy and pleasure will soon disappoint us and lose its meaning, but such will not be the case with the eternal things. Indeed, we should now be able to say, as did the psalmist, “As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psa. 17:15). That will be a day of joy, but a joy that will not fade or decrease in any way.
Are you dissatisfied with life and all it offers? True and lasting joy is found in the eternal. Lift up your eyes! — Steven Harper
