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Answer
Satisfaction is the state of being content, the feeling that one’s needs or wants are met. Satisfaction appears to be a rare condition in our world today, as many individuals express dissatisfaction with their jobs, marriages, circumstances, and themselves. The Bible teaches that discovering contentment in life relies on having a relationship with God through Christ.
One manifestation of satisfaction is the joy we experience upon reaching a goal or attaining a level of success. God created human beings with a significant capacity for joy, as He Himself possesses, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27). He instilled in us the ability to set goals and accomplish them; then He exemplified what healthy satisfaction looks like in Genesis 1. By the third verse, the Bible already records that God saw what He had made and that it was good. We can relate to that feeling. When we have worked to create something good, we experience satisfaction.
Satisfaction encompasses contentment, being pleased with one’s circumstances. The Bible addresses contentment extensively. First Timothy 6:6–8 states, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” Learning to be content is the precursor to satisfaction.
Being satisfied means we are not longing for something else. When our hunger is satisfied, we do not desire more food. When our thirst is satisfied, we do not crave more water. When we are in a right relationship with God, our souls are satisfied. “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” <
In some ways, the human heart is like a whining toddler who, if left to himself, will never be satisfied (Matthew 15:19; Ecclesiastes 6:9; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Jeremiah 17:9). We tend to constantly demand more, bigger, better, flashier. Much of advertising today is designed to destroy our satisfaction and to make us think we need more than we have. But when our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit, the demands of our hearts can be brought under His control (Galatians 5:16-17). We recognize that God has provided all we need for our present happiness, and we can, therefore, experience satisfaction. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” «The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. », (John 10:10).
Godly satisfaction is not to be confused with self-satisfaction. Godly satisfaction is the state of being pleased and grateful for God’s provision and work in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20). Self-satisfaction is a form of pride. Self-satisfaction considers the pleasurable state the result of our efforts and is pleased to draw attention to that fact. Jesus gave an example of the self-satisfied in Luke 12:16–21. In this parable, a rich man was quite satisfied with his abundance, and his life revolved around fulfilling his wants and desires. Jesus reminded us that none of us should become so satisfied with this life that we disregard eternity.
We find satisfactionSatisfaction in life is found when we discover our true purpose for being here. When we pursue our own notions of what will bring contentment, we never quite attain it. Like a child chasing soap bubbles, we believe that if we could grasp that beautiful dream, we would be eternally happy. Yet, once we catch it, it slips away. Nevertheless, there’s another bubble! Thus, we waste our lives pursuing fleeting dreams of happiness while our Creator patiently holds the instruction manual in His hands.
For many years, Paul endured beatings, stonings, imprisonments, and rejection. He captured earthly contentment in Galatians 2:20 by stating, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” When we, like Paul, are willing to daily crucify our flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24) and permit the Holy Spirit to work through us, we discover a deeper fulfillment than the soap bubbles of this world could ever offer.
Life becomes simpler when we acknowledge that our purpose is merely to reflect God’s glory in the unique ways He has designed us to shine (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:20). When we strive to live for Christ, the outcome is a satisfaction that extends into eternity. Even when earthly needs or desires demand attention, our souls understand that this condition is temporary and our eternal contentment is close at hand. “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11; cf. Matthew 6:19-21).
