Life Principles To Live BySample

When Plans Turn to Ashes

Life Principle 16: Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.

The deepest desire present in every human heart—the one thing we’re truly longing for— is to know God.

You may not understand the longing within you to be a desire for God—in fact, you may simply feel dissatisfaction with your life. Maybe the relationship you wanted and attained isn’t everything you thought it would be. Perhaps you have everything you’ve ever wanted and yet still go through periods of longing, sadness, and loneliness.

Dissatisfaction, unfulfilled expectations, and feelings of dejection and isolation originate from the same place: a hunger for God. Centuries ago Augustine wrote, “You made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” Once we satisfy ourselves with God’s presence, we require far less of what the world has to offer. And as we enter into a relationship with the Lord, He promises to reveal more of Himself to us as we fellowship with Him.

When you develop your relationship with God and discover more about His holy character, He illuminates your heart and mind, giving you a greater desire to know Him more intimately—leaving your fleshly desires behind in the process. Your worldly desires simply cannot compare to the comfort, joy, and fulfillment God offers you. Rather, you see the things you acquire outside of His will turning to ashes, while the blessings He gives you endure and satisfy your soul.

And so we learn afresh that while acquiring anything outside of His will ultimately disappoints us, He fills us with truly satisfying “pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11).