I sat on one of the beautiful areas of sprawling, freshly mowed grass on my college campus. Staring at the fountain in front of me with a pen in my hand, I wrote. “Lord, I just want to make a difference in this world for Your kingdom. Please lead me in the direction you have planned for me.”

A college senior with graduation soon approaching, the world was my oyster – full of adventure and intrigue, new places and people to see and to meet. I wasn’t interested in getting a job, buying a home, and settling down just yet. I wanted to explore!

I could hardly contain myself until my exams were finished, my bags were packed, and I was off to see the world! Little did I know that while I would travel some that year, I would also get a very humbling job, get married (which I was excited about!), and live in a pretty little town. And all of it was for my good and for God’s glory.

The Itch for Fulfillment

“Our hearts are restless until they can find rest in you.” – Saint Augustine

We all desire fulfillment and satisfaction in life. We crave meaning, relationship, belonging, and a sense that we have made a difference in the world. And none of this is wrong.

In fact, it is normal and right to desire to use the talents that God has given us to serve others and be a light in the world. The problem comes when we begin to view our life’s fulfillment through a narrow lens that must happen in a certain way. Here are some examples of a few thoughts that demonstrate this:

If I don’t get married and/or have children, I can never be happy.

If I don’t get into _____ school, I will never fulfill my dreams.

If I never leave (in the words of George Bailey) “this crummy little town” and “see the world,” I can’t be content.

If I don’t make ____ amount of money a year, I will never be able to do what I want to do.

If I don’t get ___  job or position, I will never become the person I want to be.

Fulfillment in Christ

I’m a planner. An organizer. And a Type “A” personality. So I know what it is like to have a plan for my life. But guess what I have realized? God has an even better plan for my life!

True fulfillment comes when we, with trembling hands, place the dearest desires of our lives in the hands of God and say, “Here you go, Lord. These are my greatest desires. Do with them what you will.” We can only do this, however, if we have one desire that trumps all our other desires: Christ – knowing Him, loving Him, obeying Him.

When looking on all the world has to offer: riches, fame, popularity, influence, personal success and even the fulfillment of our dreams, the Psalmist says, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26).

Christ Our Portion

“It is easy to want things from the Lord and yet not want the Lord Himself, as though the gift could ever be preferable to the Giver”

~ Augustine

Christ is all we need. His outstretched arms hold the fulfillment of all of our desires. Receive His love, rest in His forgiveness, work and serve by His grace.

Let Him become your greatest desire and trust Him with all the rest. “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).