Satisfying the Ultimate Thirst.

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When I hear the word 'craving', ice cream immediately comes to my mind. There's never a time when ice cream doesn't sound like a splendid idea! When hear the word 'thirst', I think of being stuck outside on a hot day without water. Although both ice cream and water do satisfy those cravings, it is a temporary satisfaction. One bowl of ice cream cannot satisfy my sweet tooth, because it will only come creeping back again the next day in pursuit of more.

Jesus reassures us in John 4:13 that "everyone who drinks [the water from the well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirst". Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Living Water. He is the only One who can quench our thirst permanently with satisfaction that endures. He fulfills His promise through redemption and eternal life with Him.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him"

- John Piper

We give the most honor to God when we find our fulfillment solely in Him. He receives our utmost praise when we put aside all of our selfish desires for the temporary things in this world, and look ahead to our Father who has the power to satisfy our needs eternally. We find that ultimate satisfaction when we choose to cast away the temporary satisfactions that cloud our vision and focus our eyes on God. He strengthens and upholds us. He reminds us that having that intimate relationship with Him is all we need. That we are not defined by what consumed us in the past, but we are defined in Christ. Those old habits and desires become insignificant, because all we need is Him.

How do we attain that full satisfaction? The first step is surrender. Once we surrender the small things, it becomes easier to surrender the big things; one of them being our lives. I had to surrender my desire to do what I wanted, and follow after God and where He was calling me. I am highly involved using social media, from blogging to an e-commerce marketing internship to Instagram. Some days I want to blog, but the Lord tells me no, not today. Seek Me first and the rest will follow. The hardest part is being able to give it up and say, okay Lord I trust You. Once we surrender our lives to Him, only left standing with our hope in the Lord, His splendor unveils.

We no longer have distractions. We no longer thirst for anything but Jesus. He becomes our ultimate focus as we find our satisfaction in His glory, His love, and His strength. Without Him we are nothing. With Him we can do all things. His love surpasses all understanding and satisfies us eternally.

As I wrote this I asked myself, do I live my life as if I believe Jesus is the ultimate satisfaction? Do I find my satisfactions in the temporary things or in Christ alone?

Ask yourself. Are you feeling dry? Our Father has the power to replenish your soul with the eternally satisfying living water that is promised to us in Jesus Christ. Seek Him and He will satisfy your thirst, now and forever.

words by Courtney Lonsdale and photo by Petra Lee