better.

I’m not sure who told me this first, but somewhere along the line, I started believing that other things were better than Jesus. As He has shown me more of His heart I see that God’s heart aches that his children would never question his goodness and provision. It’s easy to type out these words, but oh my, these lies are rooted deep, and have been nourished for far too long.

Just as a gardener desires to uproot weeds, the Father desires to uproot every lie. This for me was like one of those grass weeds that has one central root system but then, as it grows across the soil, different sections, root down.

The main and biggest root is that Jesus won’t truly satisfy all my needs.

This is a very nuanced discussion because I believe we are created to actually need other people because we are made in the image of a triune God. Yet, all people who work to effectively meet our needs of connection, belonging, companionship, and so on, are ones living at the feet of Jesus and He is moving through them. So, yes, we need other people but Jesus is still ultimately the source of it all. He provides for us in a roundabout way sometimes!

(HARD TRUTH ALERT: This provision comes most freely when we're walking with Jesus and doing what He does. AKA living in holiness).

But what does living in holiness look like?

While on the earth, Jesus pursued the lost, fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, rejoiced with the joyful, and comforted the grieving. All of these things are others focused. Jesus did not need to worry about His own needs being met because He was sent on a mission to serve others and not be served (Matthew 20:28). In that, He trusted that God would provide His needs.

Likewise, my mission is to focus wholeheartedly on serving others and telling them about Jesus and God will take care of my needs. Do you trust that He can take care of you better than you can take care of yourself?

Now, back to the weed of lies. *evil laugh*

The smaller sprouts were different things I believed I needed to be fulfilled and satisfied. A relationship. The "perfect" body. No struggles. All the pretty possessions I see at the store. All together, these things aren't bad. When they are enjoyed as gifts from a good Giver and they lead us back to thanking God, they're really good things! However, on their own, they distract and distort our idea of what satisfaction truly is.

As God has been working on my heart, I am learning that none of these things satisfy. In fact, they just clutter my life, overwhelm me, and make me feel disconnected from God if i'm looking to them for satisfaction.

My heart has begun singing louder and louder "You can have all this world, just give me Jesus".

Just give me Jesus.

Better is one day in His house than a thousand elsewhere.

GOOD NEWS!!!!

In His kindness, He does not condemn me for believing the lies. The uprooting process looks like continually inviting me into His presence so that I can taste and see that He is good. In His presence, the lies fall off and my vision is refocused on the true prize: Jesus- my father, friend, confidant, companion, savior.

When I was at a worship night recently, God spoke to me and said He was and is changing His people's appetite!! It's comforting to me to know that all God requires of me is humble surrender and He does the heavy lifting.

God is a jealous God. He wants His sons and daughters to be 100% His. He wants all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Why? Because He delights in us and hates it when our hearts are in the hands of anything other than Him. He knows that HIS HANDS are the safest place to be.

So, are you going to give yourself to Him in humble surrender and let Him change the desires of your heart to be wholly set on Him?

It's a sweet place of satisfaction friends. I am not completely there yet. Jesus is still uprooting the lies. I am trusting, though, that He will see it through to completion and my hunger for Him will grow for eternity. He wants to do it for you too.

If you'd like to talk more about this, I would be delighted to! You can email me or message me from the blog :)

Grace and peace to you friends,

Sami