Every Friday
Gratitude to God Gratifies and Satisfies the Soul
By: Keri Eichberger in crosswalk.com
Bible Reading:
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. - Psalm 107:8-9
Sometimes I become so aware of how needy I am that I feel a sense of shame and embarrassment. But I really shouldn’t. Because the truth is, every single soul is thirsty for something. Hungry for happiness. Starving for satisfaction and gratification. We have needs, longings, and deep desires. We seek and search for fulfillment. And I don’t know about you, but too often I look to the world for fill. I lean on and depend on my circumstances and the people around me. I look to comforts, pleasures, and indulgences to provide relief from the hard and the hurt. Freedom from the challenges, the struggles, the obstacles, the busyness, all the expectations. On and on.
Do you feel a deep need? Or lots of them? Maybe you desire relief from fear. Or have a longing for peace that’s swelling in your soul. Maybe you are looking for answers or guidance. You’re lonely and praying for encouragement, connection, and community. The truth is, we all have so much need. Nonstop. Even those who don’t always notice or who aren’t aware. And need isn’t necessarily bad. God made us for dependence. But not for dependence on anything or anyone else other than him.
Psalm 107:9 says, he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. That “he” is God. It is the Lord who satisfies and fills us. And it says, with good things. Not just any random or empty thing, but good things. The question is, will we let him? The preceding verse proclaims. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. And I wonder if this upfront proclamation is on purpose. Reminding us to give thanks to the Lord first for the blessings he provides—his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds. I believe it’s intentional. I also believe that if we focused more on giving thanks to God before presenting our needs and seeming lack to him, we would see more of his provision and blessings. This same reminder is referenced in a verse you likely know. In Philippians 4:6, it states, in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. It’s the thanksgiving we need to remember. To give thanks to God every time we bring a need before him, any moment we lift up a concern, whenever we present any request to the Lord. It is our thanksgiving that can have an immense impact on how we perceive and receive the gifts of God. Do we notice and accept the satisfaction and fullness he offers? The problem is, I know I forget to do this all too often. Do you?
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Let us acknowledge our need right now. But let us begin by giving thanks to God, the giver of all good things, before we approach him with all that we are hungry and thirsty for. Let us acknowledge that he is already fulfilling our deepest desires; that he is supplying everything we really need. And let us remember to begin each day in this way. Giving thanks to him and praising him. Because he indeed does fill our lives with good things. He indeed does give gratification and swelling satisfaction for our longing souls when we offer, over and over, our gratitude and thanks to him.