Forgiveness

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” – Luke 23:34.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, a subject of ridicule and shame, in agony and injustice meted out by the hand of man, instead of pouring down fire and brimstone to destroy his persecutors and killers, he uttered these sweet words which are beyond human comprehension. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” We can take heart from this characteristic of the divine nature. He is slow to anger and does not deal with us according to our sins. Rather, He is patient and forgiving.

When the prevailing doctrine of the world is “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, Jesus teaches us to forgive. When others propagate hate and revenge, the Word of God teaches us to love our enemies and leave vengeance to God [see Deut.32:35; Heb.10:30].

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 
“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  - Romans 12:19-21.

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;

And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,

And the Lord will reward you. – Proverbs 25:21, 22.

In the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 6:12,14, 15; and “On the Plain” Lk.11:4, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray: And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors; and he goes on to say: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." So we see that it is our forgiveness by God is contingent upon our forgiving others.   So long as we continue to resent someone we remain in that sin and God cannot forgive us; you see, that resentment is a sin! When we release that resentment (turn aside from it, repent) and forgive (which is synonymous with forgetting), then we are ready to receive God’s forgiveness.

When Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”   Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:21, 22.

What does this teaching mean? It means that we forgive an unlimited number of times. We understand this when we examine our imperfect selves continually sinning against God and realize how many times we expect His forgiveness and the countless number of times that He does (1 John 1:7,9). We are taught here to do likewise. It is for our good that Jesus taught us such. As long as we remain unforgiving, the resentment burns a hole in our minds and poisons our thinking [and indeed our entire system]. The only thought then that continually occupies our attention is upon seeking revenge – how we may hurt the offender; how do we get even. Then, when we are able to hurt the offender, we compound our sin of having an unforgiving heart – it becomes bigger. Does it satisfy us? Questionable! But it does not please God because judging, punishing, condemning belongs to God not to us. That is why the Word of God says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” And, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” – Romans 12:18, 21.  A tension is released when we give up resentment which causes us to not only forgive but also forget the offender allowing us to get on with more important things in life.

In the words of our Lord, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” – Mark 11:25, 26.

God can forgive us only when we have forgiven someone who has wronged us, otherwise, He can’t and won’t forgive us. This is God’s rule, His law, and His principle. This is what Jesus is teaching.

In 2 Corinthians 2:7, Paul admonishes the Corinthians to forgive the erring brother and reaffirm their love for him (v.8) after he has repented.

Paul writing to the Ephesians says: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:31, 32.

Finally, in Colossians 3:12-17, Paul urges the Christians in Colossae : “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” – Colossians 3:12-17.

When the word of Christ richly dwells in us, we have the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ and even as Christ forgave His enemies, we do likewise. With Christ dwelling in us, His followers, we become different from the world and through our attitudes and actions, the Lord Jesus Christ shines forth as a bright light in a dark world. This leads to GOD being thanked, honoured and glorified.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 
Copyright©1995-2015 Thomas Dohling · Permission is granted for non-commercial (free) distribution provided this notice appears. 

Imitators of Christ

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 11:1.

Seeing Jesus is what Christianity is all about. Christian service in its purest form is imitating Him Whom we see. To see His majesty and to imitate Him – this is the sum of Christianity. Getting a vision of your Maker can be like starting a whole new life. It can be like a new birth. In fact, Jesus Himself said: “Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3 3).

Man was not meant to live ignorant of his maker. That is why God came near – so that man may see Him. Yet, man was reluctant to acknowledge his Maker; he still is. The reason is spiritual blindness caused by the deceiver – Satan. He has deceived man into thinking that he has evolved, not created. That he is still evolving into superior beings and he can be self-sufficient apart from God. This is a lie. Man, apart from God is in darkness (Romans 1:21). God knows it. That is why in Jesus Christ, He came to man as the Light of the world to enlighten him, to make him aware of his need of God, aware of a higher, better, abundant, everlasting life (John 8:12).

The higher and better life that man is called to is possible only when he discovers his weakness and impotency in the flesh, life apart from God, and desires to be born anew in the spirit of his being. In order for him to be saved from himself (carnal life), God’s plan for man’s salvation was put in place before time began. In the Person and work of Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and of man, man is saved and by being dressed with Him he becomes a new, spiritual being, a child of God Himself. He discards the ‘self’ [carnal life] and clothes himself with Christ [spiritual life]. His nature undergoes a metamorphosis. Just as an ugly caterpillar emerges from the apparently dead cocoon, changed into a beautiful butterfly, so also carnal man emerges from the watery grave of baptism a metamorphosed beautiful creature after the nature of Jesus Himself! The change is effected by God Himself, through His Spirit [contained in the word]. This change is not physically apparent; but the transformation occurs in the real person i.e. the mind of the soul. The transformed man now desires his Creator only and how he might please his Maker. Little by little, over a period of time, the nature of the carnal man is replaced by the nature of God as revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Such a new creature has little patience with or interest in the works of the flesh or ‘highs’ of this world. His only goal now is to patiently wait on His God in absolute surrender and marvel at the countless blessings that he now enjoys in continuous fellowship with and from his Creator.

In Ephesians 5:1-5, the apostle Paul says, “Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting--all of which are out of character--but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”

What a contrast is presented in the above passage between the godly and ungodly lives! The first refers to love and sacrifice for others; the second refers to the carnal life lived for the gratification of fleshly desires. To the spiritual man, the carnal life is immoral and impure and he can no longer be attracted to it having found the higher, better life in his Lord Jesus. He lives to please his God and always thanks Him for His love, mercy, grace, and providential care.

The example of the Christians at Thessalonica is a case of being imitators of God. After their conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ brought about by the apostles’ teachings, Paul says that they “became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction. As a result you became examples to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you the message of the Lord has echoed forth not just in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place reports of your faith in God have spread, so that we do not need to say anything. For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath” (1 Thessa.1:6-10).

The imitator of God [and of Christ], does not seek to please people but God, who examines his heart. He does not seek glory from people. He lives his life according to God’s will. He now becomes like a little child – innocently trusting, loving, and pleasing God. He is now without guile. He also becomes like a nursing mother caring for her own children. He is now willing to share not only the gospel of God with all but also his life.

He is now holy and righteous and blameless in his conduct and he lives in a way that is worthy of God who called him to his own kingdom and his glory (see 1 Thess.2).

Once the Christian has received the elementary instructions about Christ, he is instructed to move on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1-3), and imitate those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:12).

A word of caution for those who fall away. It is impossible for him who has once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, and then have fallen away, to be renewed again to repentance, since he is crucifying the Son of God for himself all over again and holding him up to ridicule. He is reserved to be burned. (Hebrews 6:4-8).

Paul the apostle, after saying that he had more reason to boast of his achievements in the flesh and listing out his credentials, says that he counted his human achievements as “loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but rubbish, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness … but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith; that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection” (see Philippians 3:8-11).

The imitator of God is not content to rest in a limited knowledge of his Maker; he yearns to know Him better because he knows his own lack and knows that only God can satisfy him. Once he has received the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, he cannot rest until his humble body is transformed into the likeness of his Master’s glorious body! (read Philippians 3 for details).

Sadly, there are many who claim to be imitators of God but are really enemies of the cross of Christ because their god is the belly, they are not ashamed of the shameful things they do, and they always think about earthly things; their end is destruction (Phil.3:18, 19). The imitator of Christ knows he does not belong to the earth; he belongs to heaven where his Lord is and his longing expectation is to be with his Lord forever! (v. 20). The man who has truly seen Jesus will never be the same again. His pride will be laid at Jesus’ feet and in humility and total surrender he will imitate his Master always.

God is eternal and unchangeable love. In His sovereignty, He decided to treat man in grace. His love motivates His grace. Righteousness and Justice stood in the way because of the sin barrier between man and God. In Love, God the Father sent His Son to the cross to die/atone for the sins of the whole world. Righteousness and Justice are thus satisfied, the barrier is removed, and love and grace can be given to man.

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Note: The terms “man” and “he/him/his” used in the article are generic and have been used to mean all human beings.

Longing for God

“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God? - Psalm 42:1-2.

A heartfelt longing for God emanating from the depth of the soul! A longing for the Loved One! A thirsting to be in the presence of the living God. Is this your longing? Does your soul pant after God?

Why is the writer expressing such a longing? Think for a while. We long for water when we are thirsty; we long for food when we are hungry. We long for rest & sleep when we are tired and comfort when we are hurting. We also long to be with the ones we love. The writer knows and understands the One he is longing for. He knows that the One he is thirsting for so deeply as to long to be in His presence is the One Who loves him deeply.

Thus says the Lord:

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. - Jeremiah 9:23,24.

The Sovereign Lord, the Creator of the universe, desires that we understand and know Him; that we know and understand that He, the Lord, acts out of loving kindness, judgement (fairness) and righteousness (or faithfulness, fairness, and justice). He desires people to do these things (or be like He is).

What greater 'quest' in life could one have than the aim of finding God, of knowing Who He is and of meeting Him face to face and to hear the word of God from God Himself!

Here are some individuals who had a burning desire to know God and to stand accepted and approved before Him:

Paul-2 Corinthians 5:9 "Therefore we make it our aim ... to be well pleasing to Him."

Moses-Exodus 33:18; David-Psalm 42:2; Abraham-Hebrews 11:10 "...waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Is your hope set on seeing God as He is? Of standing before the Creator and having the Creator express His approval concerning you? (1 John 3:1-3)

All our lives we rush after “self” satisfaction. We long for and chase after things that do not and cannot satisfy – material things (mammon). In our mad, headlong rush for material satisfaction, we leave behind “our aim…to be well-pleasing unto Him” (2 Cor.5:9). While Satan gleefully gloats over our failures, we grieve the Holy Spirit of God by such actions (Ephesians 4:30). Do we realize that we are hurting God by our deliberate indifference toward Him? The Bible says, “study to show thyself approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15) and we deliberately miss Bible study with the church and remain ignorant about “rightly handling/dividing the word of truth”!

I. What is Your Goal in Life?

What are your goals and ambitions in life? What keeps you going, what do you live for, what drives you on? What is it that you desire to accomplish, see, experience or feel more than anything else in life? What are you hotly pursuing? Of all the various goals and ambitions that people have like get rich, get married, climb Mt. Everest, go abroad, buy your dream house, buy a car, etc. Of all the ambitions that fill the human mind, WHAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE QUEST? THE ULTIMATE SEARCH? THE ULTIMATE AMBITION?

II. The Ultimate goal is to find and know God.

JEREMIAH 9:23-24 - "...let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me”...ACTS 17:27 – “…that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." Seek'-to seek in order to find, to 'search for God'

III. How Do I Find God?

For many the question is, 'How do I allow myself to believe in God'? 'I can't see God or feel Him or taste Him. I have never heard His actual voice from Heaven. I want to believe in God, but where do I start looking for Him?' I think many people desperately want to find God, but they are at their wits end as to where to start this grand search. We can find God by faith.

What is faith in God?

Too many people view faith in God as an assumption. Others would say that you have to close your mind to believe in God. Having faith in God and exercising your intellect are not compatible. Some view belief in God as beyond their control. You either have it or you don't.  HEBREWS 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

How can you be 'convinced' about something you can't see? How can you be assured of something that you don't have? Obviously, something has 'convicted' and convinced you, something has given you assurance, that even though you don't have it in your hands and you can't see it, it's there! That something is EVIDENCE.

Modern Application:

Most people don't stop to realize how much 'faith' we exercise each and every day. Our knowledge of daily events is, for the most part, "faith" in the statements of journalists. Knowledge of history is, in the final analysis, nothing more than "faith" in the testimony of those claiming to have witnessed events in the past. Court decisions are based upon "faith" in the testimony of witnesses. We readily take medicine, which could even be dangerous, because we have "faith" in our doctor and in the information on the label of the medicine bottle. We are quick to "believe" friends, relatives, teachers and even strangers when they relate some incident to us. In fact it is impossible to live without "faith" in this world. FAITH IS SIMPLY BEING PERSUADED BY THE EVIDENCE. ENOUGH EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRESENTED - that we are 'convinced, assured' that our doctor is really a doctor, our parents are really our parents, this person did commit this crime, or they are innocent, Mahatma Gandhi really did live, even though I never saw him, heard him, or even encountered personally another human being that did. The Bible says there are REASONS FOR THE HOPE A CHRISTIAN HAS (1 Peter 3:15); i.e., EVIDENCE THAT GOD IS.

IV. The Evidence Above Us.

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.- Psalm 19:1.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. - Romans 1:20.

Both these writers assert that the created universe bears the obvious marks that God made it. It is so clear that God Himself considers it inexcusable for man to be blind to the plain evidence of His existence and His mighty power.

The Existence of the Universe presents us with the following options:-

a. The universe is or isn't eternal. The Bible says it isn't (Hebrews 1:10-12); and science agrees (Second Law of Thermodynamics).

b. Therefore the universe was created. It either created itself (something came from nothing); or God created it. All the evidence in our world tells us that every effect has a cause, every product has a maker, every living thing came from parent stock, and that zero remains zero unless something is added to it. (Hebrews 3:4).

c. How do we explain the 'design' and 'exacting conditions' for life upon this planet? Did it happen by accident? Or did it happen because of planning and purpose? (Isaiah 45:18).

A computer study simulated conditions that would exist on Earth if minor variations were to occur in our surroundings. Place the earth 5% closer to the Sun and the average surface temperature would be 482 degrees C. Move it 1% in the opposite direction and the earth would be a barren desert like Mars.

d. Design On A Huge Scale: Our solar system, our galaxy, which is one of billions in the Universe, functioning in perfect harmony without colliding and crashing - TRY ORGANIZING THAT!

'I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. - Psalm 139:14.

A. The Human Body.

The stomach is able to digest materials, which are much tougher than it is. We would have to boil our food in strong acids at 100°C to do with cookery what the stomach and intestines do at 37°C. One of the incredible things about the stomach is the fact that though is consists of flesh, it does not digest itself. One of the chemicals it contains is hydrochloric acid, an acid strong enough to dissolve a razor blade. The liver weighs about 1.362 kg and performs over 500 different functions. It filters enough blood in a single year to fill 23 milk trucks. The memory storage capacity of the human brain is equivalent to the information content of 20 million books. A computer that would match the memory capacity of the human brain would consume electrical energy at the rate of one billion watts, take up a huge amount of space and would cost about Rs.98,000 Crore to build!

B. The Real You - The Soul - Genesis 1:26-27.

Physically we resemble the animals, we also have a body of flesh, we bleed, we have offspring, and so on, but there are parts of our being that have no counterpart in the rest of Creation.

(1) Where did we get our concept of 'right and wrong'? Where did we get our concern about fairness, obligation, and justice, what you 'should do' and what 'ought not to be done'? All humans do not have the same moral standards, we don't all draw the line in the same place, but we do all draw the line somewhere!

(2) Where did we get our appreciation for beauty?

(3) Where did we get our ability to reason?

(4) Where did we get our 'religious nature'? The question is NOT, 'will man serve/worship something(one)?' The question is, 'WHAT/WHO WILL A MAN SERVE/WORSHIP?' (Matthew 6:24; Romans 6:16).

Conclusion.

 On the basis of our study of tangible evidences, the questions that arise are:

1) What is our goal in life?

2) Are we seeking God to serve & worship Him?

3) Are we hungering & thirsting for Him?

4) Do we revere Him because of Who He is?

5) Do we lovingly anticipate appearing before Him?

6) Do we return His love by obeying His commandments?

Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” and “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:6, 8).

When we sincerely, from a pure heart, hunger and thirst (long) for God, we shall find Him. It will be like finding the “pearl of great price” or the “treasure” that would cause us to long for nothing else. The more we gaze at this Treasure the deeper our longing would grow because this Treasure is like no other.

The apostle Paul expressed it this way:

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." - Philippians 3:7-16.

Surely we can't disregard / ignore someone who says:

“Even to your old age, I am He,
And even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.” - Isaiah 46:4.

“’For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.” - Isa.54:10.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30.

"I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep” (read the passage in John 10:14-18).

SHOULD WE NOT LONG FOR SUCH A ONE WHO LOVES AND LONGS FOR US SO INTENSELY?

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Fountain of Living Waters

Today ponder on Jeremiah 2:13 where the LORD says,

"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Let us seriously examine ourselves to discover whether we have indulged in these twin evils of forsaking the LORD and setting up our own idols.  The LORD alone  is "the fountain of living waters" and can satisfy all our soul's needs.

We are reminded of Jesus' cry / invitation on the last day of the feast (festival) of tabernacles / booths found in John 7:37, 38 (NKJ):-

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

He alone can satisfy!  How are we responding to this invitation of our LORD?  Does it strike a chord in our hearts?  Ponder on the LORD's words.

What about our broken cisterns?  What are the things, apart from the LORD, that we have built up (or are in the process of building up) to displace the living LORD's rightful place in our lives?  The LORD says that they are inadequate to satisfy our soul's needs since they are broken.  They can't hold any water, let alone "living water" and are insufficient to meet our deepest needs.

So, this day, let us ponder on what the LORD has to say to us.  Let us have the Psalmist's desire and hurry to the LORD for fulfillment.

"One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple." - Psalm 27:4, NKJ.

We are His temple today; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20, NKJ.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

The LORD has given us the ability to choose to remove the broken cisterns from our hearts and fill the spiritual temples of our bodies (and hearts) with HIM.  He wants us to behold His beauty and "Taste and see that the LORD is good! How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!" - Psalm 34:8.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. - James 4:7-10, NKJ.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with a shout of joy. - Job 8:21, HCSB.

It is for us to decide Whom or what we would choose to satisfy the desires of our souls.  Let me put it another way: what is the greatest desire of our soul?

Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." John 6:37.

Come to the "Fountain of Living Waters" and be satisfied.