There seem to be an unlimited number of ways that human beings seek fulfilment. Some people turn to ways we find less honourable—like money, power, sex, or fame, while others turn to ways that we find more honourable—like family, marriage, hard work, or charity. Everyone seeks happiness in their own way, but all of us learn over time that the fulfilment we seek is so often fleeting. Even when everything goes our way and we get exactly what we thought we wanted, we find ourselves so quickly feeling dissatisfied and empty.
God made humanity for a purpose. That purpose was to be in relationship with him, to honour and glorify him, and to find their ultimate meaning and purpose in him. This purpose remains today, and it explains why every person (if they’re really honest with themselves) experiences a sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction from everything this world has to offer. We were not made to find fulfilment outside of our Creator, and every attempt to do so is an act of idolatry that both dishonours him and does damage to ourselves.
We all know that the problem of idolatry is not new. Even in the garden, humanity was trying to make their own way and find satisfaction apart from their Creator. In earlier stages of history, that idolatry often took a very distinctive outward form—the worship of false gods in the form of physical idols was very common. In our culture today, idolatry is as prevalent and strong as ever, but it takes a very different form. Very few people in our lives worship statues of false gods, but we still regularly seek to find satisfaction and fulfilment apart from our Creator. This is no less an act of idolatry, though it appears to be more subtle on the surface.
Psalm 16 speaks a very clear message—those who seek their fulfilment in idols will be ultimately unsatisfied. Their sorrows will multiply. By way of contrast, those who seek the LORD will be fulfilled. David writes that he has no good apart from the LORD (v. 2), that in the LORD the lines has fallen for him in pleasant places (v.6), and that is heart is glad and his whole being rejoices (v. 9). This entire passage culminates in verse 11, where David writes, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (v. 11).
David could not be any more clear—idolatry leads to emptiness, while those who take refuge in the LORD and seek to find their satisfaction in him will be satisfied now and forever. While God certainly does give us many good gifts to enjoy in this life, He never intended for us to find more joy in the gift than in the Giver. And so, may each one of us look to our Creator and King for that satisfaction which only he can truly provide!
All the best,
Luke Burrow
