Never underestimate the thirst in someone's soul for God

by WXAN & KMHM General Manager, Doug Apple

You are a Christian. They are not. You have your problems, your down days. Sometimes you wonder where God is in the midst of your trials. Meanwhile, they seem to be skating through life. You take the high road, and it seems to be full of pot holes. They take the low road and it seems to be smooth sailing.

How in the world can you witness to someone like that? What can you possibly say? What do you have to offer? Good grief, they seem happier than you do!

But they don't have Christ. Aren't they supposed to be miserable? 

We are the ones who are supposed to be enjoying the abundant life. We are the ones with the easy yoke and the light burden. Why doesn't it seem to play out that way?

Well, first of all, this is not a new phenomenon. It's always been easy to stand on the outside of someone's life without God and see what appears to be a better way of living. Asaph wrote of his own struggles in Psalm 73.
See if you relate to Asaph's feelings: “…as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. This is what the wicked are like--always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me…” 

Have you ever done what Asaph did? Have you ever compared your life to the life of a prosperous non-Christian and wondered, “Why do I bother?” You gotta admit it's pretty hard to witness to someone about their need for the Savior when you are envying their life!

But remember, we are only seeing their lives from the outside. Fortunately, the Bible records for us the inside story. Instead of the “lifestyles of the rich and famous” which had captured Asaph's attention, let's look at the “inner life of the rich and famous” as shared by the most rich and the most famous King Solomon.

Here is how that life looks from the inside as recorded in Ecclesiastes: “"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly--my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well--the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

So what was the end result of all of this “living for self”? Ecclesiastes 2:17 says, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” 
Solomon's life looked mighty impressive from the outside. But what was going on deep inside that palace, deep in the heart of the great king? “I hated life.”

That is a lesson for us. Never equate the smile on the face and the party in the house with satisfaction of the soul.
So, if this is true, why don't these people come to Jesus? Why don't they give up seeking fulfillment in the world and turn to the Lord?

I have discovered a telling verse in Isaiah 57:10 which says, “You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, `It is hopeless.' You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.”

Like Solomon, people living worldly lives are “wearied” by all their ways. But they will not say “It is hopeless.” This keeps many of them from seeking something more out of life, and thus turning to God for answers. They are not quite ready to give up their current way of life. They think, “Surely, something good is right around the corner. I'll just stay on this same road and find out.”

This verse in Isaiah reminds me of someone who gets drunk on Friday and wakes up with a massive hangover. Saturday morning they are swearing they will never drink again, but the headache wears off, and by that evening they have found renewal of their strength. They quickly forget the bad results of the last party, and are quick to run to the next one.

People run from one thing to another in an effort to fill the hole in their soul. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 6:7, “All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.” There is a thirst we cannot quench, a hunger we cannot feed. Our appetites are never satisfied.

Isaiah 55:2 says, “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”

We try to fill that hole in our soul by feeding our bodies and minds. But only God can fill that hole. With God, our soul will “delight in the richest of fare.”

So what is the point? When you see people who seem satisfied in their sin, and maybe you feel like you don't need to witness to them or tell them about God, that they really are happy as sinners, don't believe it! 

Their next event or purchase or success may renew their strength for the moment, like Solomon working on his next project, but it will not bring satisfaction! Their soul is left empty, and like Solomon they are left crying “It's all meaningless!”

Write this down and don't forget it: “NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE THIRST IN SOMEONE'S SOUL FOR GOD!”

So, what are we to do? Like Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Do this for everyone, whether they seem happy in sin or not.
So did Asaph miss all of this? Did he stumble? Did he fall away from God? Let's look at where Psalm 73 ends up: “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.”

Asaph was no longer jealous of the prosperity of the wicked. He realized that life is truly meaningless without God. If we never lose sight of that truth, we will never hold back out witness from a world that so desperately needs it. 
Just remember: “Never underestimate the thirst in someone's soul for God.”