Short Term Fixes

I’m all alone in my house.

The kids are at school.  My husband is at work.  I can smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen and all I can hear is the hum of the filter in the aquarium.

It’s heavenly.

I don’t have to try to hear over the noise.  I’m not fighting for attention.  There are no small people tugging on me to feed them or scratch their back.

While I love how well my family fills our home with excitement, I relish times like these because I can sit and soak and listen for God to speak.  It’s just me and Him… and I am a captive audience.

It’s one of the ways I fill my bucket.

The truth is that we all need our buckets filled.  All too often, we neglect them and they… dry up.  And when we are parched, there is nothing left to give those we love.

So we find ourselves in a desperate state, looking for a quick fix.

• We dive into food for comfort.
• We read trashy novels to escape.
• We spend money we don’t have.
• We drink to numb ourselves.
• We visit sites on the Internet that we don’t have business visiting.

Make no mistake, the world will be ready and waiting to offer us that quick fix. 

We can shop, eat, drink, read and watch things that promise to “make us feel better,” but fall short every time.  And if we feel satisfied at all, it’s fleeting.

But God.

Our Heavenly Father provides more than a temporary fix.  He promises to fill all your needs in a healthy way. Philippians 4:19 tells us so.

“My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus.”

While our flesh tells us to feast on the worldly offerings, we know that only God can offer a lasting way to fill our bucket.

Maybe it’s as simple as asking God for more of… Him.  What if you:

• Spent time in the mountains or at the ocean admiring His creativity in nature?
• Danced around the house listening to praise music (or Big Hair bands of the 80′s)?
• Gathered friends for food and fun and talking about how God is working in your lives?
• Journaled your thoughts?
• Read the Bible or some other faith-building book?
• Spent time talking to God… and listening?
• Meditated on a particular scripture, digging for the truth?

Listen… the world is ready to fill you up at any given moment. It’s willing to accommodate you to make it easy. It’s constantly bombarding you with empty opportunities.

Turn away from the temptation for a fast fix, and instead look towards God who says…“I’ll meet every need, and then some.”

When you’re feeling dry… when you are at the end of your rope… when you are ready to throw in the towel… when you have nothing left to give… take God up on His promise.

Do it different this time.

Look towards the only One who will fill you… to overflowing.

Friends, everything else is a short-lived fix.

REALITY CHECK:  A quick fix is easy to get but fails to satisfy. Don’t waste your time with what the world has to offer.

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©2012 careyscotttalks.com

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