Over the years, my liking of sports has grown and changed. I remember my middle school years when I could name every Philadelphia 76er's player and coach and watch almost all the games. I'm even a little embarrassed to admit that I even built a shrine in my room of little newspaper article cut outs of my favorite player Allen Iverson. I was a strange child who would flip back and forth between Food Network and ESPN (any Around the Horn watchers??) I guess when I fell for a certain sport, I fell hard.
As I grew older, I started to appreciate sports like baseball and hockey (we're still working on football) ....if you ask any of my friends, they'll attest to the fact that I can even watch a whole game of golf. It's strange, I get pure enjoyment out of watching a fine weekend game of golf. Some of my favorite memories include either going to or just watching games with my friends- feeling pure excitement when one of our guys hits the buzzer-beater or soaking up the tears as we watched a championship slip away.
But as a fan, I came to a stark realization. Each year I watched eagerly for my team to deliver a championship but unfortunately for most of the time, I had to angrily watch many other teams obtain the ring or the trophy or the cup instead. However, there is one thing I realized about the teams that win- Every year, they tried again. With how hard these guys worked, the many hours invested for that one championship...you think they would be satisfied with finally obtaining what they worked so hard to get! The players got their fame, the fans had the parade, the city had that day of pure rejoicing. But then you wake up the next day...and the parade is over..and the players have made their millions....the truth is you are left craving for the feeling you once had.
Ever feel like that? I'm sure if your a Phillies fan like me you got pure happiness in 08 with that world series win but now if only we could do it again right? If only we had a repeat, another parade, maybe if the Flyers win the cup or the eagles get a ring we'll be satisfied.
But that's a lie.
Allow me to give a small example. You've seen the NE Pats and how many rings Brady has on his finger. You think any of the fans are gonna say- "naa Tom, we're okay this year, we don't want you to win anymore...we're SATISFIED" No way! Something like that just sounds silly. But you see the truth is, these things may give us a great amount of happiness while it's happening but what we forget to realize is that "joy" doesn't last. These things won't ever give us the lasting satisfaction we so deeply desire. But isn't this the exact same way we go about our lives sometimes? Just one more look, maybe one more touch, just one more ....then I'll be satisfied, then I'll never do it again! We're always hungry for more, hoping to hold on to that fleeting moment of pleasure. You see, that's exactly what this world offers- the joys of this world are only temporary-a bit of happiness and pleasure that will last for a night but then it's over, gone, and you're left searching for the next. So why would anyone settle for this when there's something far better? Is it because the immediate, tangible pleasure we see being offered to us now looks better than the ones we are asked to patiently wait in hope for?
As I was listening to a sermon, I heard a statement that stuck with me:
"Giving up something now for something better later is not you making a sacrifice, it is you making an investment." So what seems like a worthwhile investment? Look at what the bible says:
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17
"You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11
This is where lasting pleasure is. Here is where a soul finds its rest and satisfaction- in the presence of the Maker of joy, the Maker of pleasures, the Maker of life. Where better to find ultimate satisfaction than the source of it?
Don't get me wrong, I myself am extremely grateful that God gave us the ability to enjoy things in this world that make us happy- but what I am saying is don't settle for the passing pleasures this world has to offer. Don't believe the lie that those things will satisfy you... remember only putting our trust and finding our rest in our Maker will supply lasting joy to our weary souls.
If I find in myself desires which nothing in this
world can satisfy, I can only conclude that I was made for
another world.
-C.S. Lewis
No comments:
Post a Comment