“Did God REALLY say…?” Remember when the serpent said that in the Garden? His whole hope was to convince Eve that her relationship with God was holding her back. He wanted to invoke and awaken desires in Eve… desires for something other than God. He wanted Eve to become dissatisfied with her life and believe her current existence wasn’t enough for her.
Dissatisfaction inspires doubt and opens the door for twisting of the truth. Look ahead to Eve’s response to the serpent…
“We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
When we start getting dissatisfied with our lives, we start lying to ourselves. We look at the truth (You must not eat the fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden) and start adding to it our own truths which just continues to fuel our dissatisfaction.
“My husband should treat me better… so I’m justified in leaving him.”
“We live under the new covenant… so I am free to (insert a flesh-gratifying choice here).”
“I should be happy… so I can make this choice even if it hurts other people.”
“God’s rules are restrictive… therefore He is antiquated. I live under grace.”
When our chief desires are for anything other than God, we compare our current status to what we should have, we become dissatisfied with what we do have, and then we fall into sin trying to gain what we don’t have.
Girl, you were made for happiness… through the avenue of holiness which is only found when our chief desire is for God alone.
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
We become convinced that some sinful behavior or attitude of comparison and dissatisfaction while give us what we really long for. We look to outside influences for wisdom and understanding before we look to Scripture. We listen to preachers or speakers or pastors or activists or friends or family and are tempted to accept what they say if it doesn’t challenge our current lifestyle instead of God’s Word.
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.”
Before this moment, God was the supreme desire in the hearts of men. For the first time, mankind looked for fulfillment OUTSIDE of a relationship with God. And it started with comparison.
When we become dissatisfied, we begin to look to our surroundings for fulfillment instead of God. The fruit was good for food, HOWEVER God wanted to provide their food. The fruit was beautiful HOWEVER God is a greater beauty. The fruit gives wisdom HOWEVER God IS wisdom and gives himself to us. The dissatisfaction opens the door for the enemy to slide his foot into the door jam and whisper through the crack, “Did God really say…?”
Today, intentionally check your spirit. Are you choosing to believe a lie? Are you looking for satisfaction and fulfillment outside of God? Ask yourself “Did God really say…?” And then tell yourself the truth!
Did God really say I am so valuable?
Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! Luke 12:24
Did God really say He has given me a destiny full of hope?
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Did God really say He would take all the bad in my life and make it work for the good?
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Did God really say I could come close to Him and He would help me when I’m in need?
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
Did God really say I am righteous because of Jesus? I don’t have to do anything to make myself good - only have faith in Jesus and HIS goodness?
Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness combined with our faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
Did God really say He favors me?
Did God really say He honors me?
Did God really say He is giving me every good thing when I am righteous?
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11
He really is enough, sweet friend. All your satisfaction will be fulfilled in Him alone. All your hopes and dreams are found in Him alone. All your greatest needs and desires are fulfilled in Him alone.
Quit comparing your life to the one you want to have. Quit letting dissatisfaction creep in. Don't let the enemy of your life have any room to make you question God's goodness with any "Did He really say...?" questions.
He is enough.
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