Satisfaction

Some people are never satisfied.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress. You Philippians indeed know that in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone. For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs more than once. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account. I have been paid in full and have more than enough; I am fully satisfied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. - Philippians 4:10-20

To be satisfied, for me, means not wanting more.

It is like when you are on the treadmill and your body is feeling like it is done, but the timer you set still has another fifteen or twenty minutes left.  Do you listen to your body, or do you push on?

We admire those who push on, right? For them, not being satisfied is a good thing.  

But it is also like when you are at a dinner party and the servers keep coming around with trays of delicious looking appetizers.  You want to sample each one, but you know there is a big meal ahead of you.

It may be better to be satisfied with being hungry now, so you won't be too full later.

Satisfaction is a state of mind.  It is fluid, changing in relative degrees throughout one's day, week, life.

We can choose to be satisfied for now.  This is enough for me.  I don't need or desire anything else.

Or, we can choose to push on, try harder, achieve more, go the extra mile.

There are times when the good thing to do is to stop, while other times it is better to keep going.

We can be caught between two deadly sins.  To not do enough is sloth.  To do too much is greed.  

Maybe we need to learn from the nursery rhymes.  Like Goldilocks we need to find the one that is just right, not too firm, not too soft; not too hot, not too cold.

More to come...