Pacifiers

Have you ever noticed that when you are feeling sad or down, there is usually something you turn to to make things a little better? Maybe it's friends. Maybe it's a vice. Maybe something else... For me, I like to do makeup to feel good of myself, or sometimes I turn to comfort food. Sometimes I even take long naps (when I have the time) to make time pass by quickly. Some of these things are not necessarily bad while some are. But that's not the point... The point is, why do we turn to such petty things to make ourselves feel better? We like to ease the pain with something temporary like a pacifier or a bandaid. Well I got news for you -- those are only temporary! And only meant to be temporary. Just like a baby outgrows the use of a pacifier, so must we outgrow our tendencies of turning to things other than Jesus for comfort. Don't get me wrong, spending time with a friend to shave away some loneliness is not a bad thing. And I think an occasional piece of chocolate to boost your mood is not bad either! BUT, we should not be constantly filling the void with something as temporary as these. We must recognize that there is a void inside of us that is meant for Jesus to fill. Take a look at scripture. He calls us to cast our anxiety on Him, because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7). Also, He calls Himself the bread of life and the light of the world! (John 6&8). Furthermore, He tells us to come to Him and drink. John 4:14 and John 7:37-38 show this. If He really cares that much for us, wants to satisfy our needs, satiate our thirst and brighten our path, why don't we turn to Him right away? Maybe we are scared. Maybe we are lazy! Maybe we are forgetful or unbelieving or doubtful. Whatever the case, we must recognize the truth that He is there for us. He wants to come alongside us and dwell with us and enrich our lives. He is the true satisfaction. He is the always-faithful friend. We must exercise faith that although we cannot see Him, His words are true and He is with us.