Are You Fulfilled
Snickers satisfies. At least that is what we have been told in commercials and from the marketing department behind the candy bar. The 100+-year-old company Mars, Inc., understands the power of marketing and connecting mental dots with satisfaction. How often have you found yourself hungry, and trying a few different snacks and still just not satisfied? Maybe you needed a Snickers.
How does this analogy play out in life? Satisfied or fulfilled. How often do you find yourself just struggling to find satisfaction or that feeling of fulfillment? Maybe that feeling comes on, the feeling of not being satisfied, content, or just unfulfilled, so you attempt to solve that by a purchase of some sort. Maybe a new pair of shoes, that will make me feel better, feel fulfilled, and satisfied...but no, it doesn’t. Maybe it’s a more profound feeling, so It must be where we live, or what we drive, that will surely leave me feeling fulfilled...but no, it doesn’t.
Stuff, and buying stuff and appreciating stuff isn’t a bad thing if we keep it in check and have the appropriate view of our stuff. Stuff cannot fulfill us or satisfy our deep desire for purpose and meaning. When we try and make stuff do this, stuff becomes idols, and we know what God thinks about idols.
Today, what connected in 1 Corinthians 12 was the key to fulfillment in life. Those were not the words that the Apostle Paul used, but it was what leaped off the screen in the verses. Let’s start with this:
“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” - 1 Corinthians 12:18 NIV
“But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires.” - 1 Corinthians 12:18 TPT
Lifting this out, I want us to understand what Paul is saying here. We will dive into the context in a moment, but recognize the significance of what is said. God carefully designed you and me. He created us with a purpose, with gifting and talents, and placed us in the world to function as He wants or desires. We have a sweet spot, a place where we work best. When we find our place, we operate as designed and are fulfilled. When we are out of place, there is disorder, discontent, and a complete lack of fulfillment. The key to fulfillment in life is finding your place.
Read the full chapter, and it’s so good! What I find in myself and so many others is the desire to be something we are not. To look at some other gift, to lift it, and to think it is more worthy, more honorable, and try to become that. This, like stuff, we chase after and find ourselves trying to find satisfaction or fulfillment with working to become something we were never created to be. This happens because we prop up gifts and talents and, at the same time, diminish others. This is sin and wrong.
“It would be wrong for the eye to say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” and equally wrong if the head said to the foot, “I don’t need you.” In fact, the weaker our parts, the more vital and essential they are. The body parts we think are less honorable we treat with greater respect. And the body parts that need to be covered in public we treat with propriety and clothe them. But some of our body parts don’t require as much attention. Instead, God has mingled the body parts together, giving greater honor to the “lesser” members who lacked it. He has done this intentionally so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern, and so that there will be no division in the body. In that way, whatever happens to one member happens to all. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices.” - 1 Corinthians 12:21-26 TPT
There should be no division in the body. We should not prop up, diminish one another, or play the comparison game. This line of thinking will continually lead us to seek satisfaction and fulfillment from the wrong sources. God created you, and He created me with a great purpose, with gifts and talents, and those have a place in this world. If you are struggling to find fulfillment, start by understanding your who you are in Christ, then find your place to allow those gifts and talents to be used freely.