Have you ever woken up starving, craving the sweetness of donuts, sweet bread, breakfast tacos, etc and with that ravenous appetite gorged on them to the point they were no longer satisfying?In fact, not only did they become unsatisfying, the thought of another bite would make you sick.The “Law of Diminishing Returns” is at play in this example. How is it that something so good and so desirable becomes less satisfying the more you consume it?Does this principle not apply to other non-consumables in life, too?Do you not know people with the means and desire to gorge on the so-called “donuts” of life, only to find themselves unsatisfied?Sadly, while the ‘donuts’ taste so good they are severely lacking in nutrients. Despite our awareness of the ultimate lack in satisfaction our hearts/minds/tastes remain determined.
The point being made here is that for most of us our lives are a daily pursuit of the “donuts”. Those are the things that look and taste good but are without the nutrition we need to be healthy (spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc). How is it that we are blinded by them? The more we consume the less gratifying they (it) become(s). Yet, we get lost in our chase, ignoring the diminishing results. We become a slave to the idea or concept of how good the “donuts” are, failing to bring them under scrutiny. A insidiously gradual “blinding” leads us down the path of malnourishment and temporal satisfaction. We know that we are left empty, unsatisfied, yet we crave more. We persist.
For many this may be the need to fill their lives with things, hobbies, substances, etc. For others it is the pursuit of these things. It is an exhausting experience for all who choose it. There is hope, however!The remedy does not come with a Hollywood sort of style, though. In fact, it is just the opposite. The focus must shift from satisfying “self” and instead be turned towards pleasing the one true God. We must test our motives on a daily basis and then we must use willpower to deny ourselves that which is selfish and instead turn our focus to the service and betterment of others.In our great country it is a cultural struggle. We are constantly reminded by others’ consumption and self-satisfaction, as well as by the barrage of marketing campaigns that tempt us with these inflated desires.
Lord God, you are the source of all that is good. You are the only worthy pursuit. There is no diminishing return in our pursuit of you. You are love, peace, joy, forgiveness, wisdom.This world and each of us individually can never have too much of these. Forgive us for pursuing anything other!We ask that you would make us sensitive to these selfish pursuits, and that we would have the ability and will to choose better.We pray for those who are lost and suffering from the malnourishment of addiction to, or pursuit “things”. Help us overcome the temptations of this world so that we can change it for better. -Amen!
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