Paul Tripp's Daily Thanksgiving DevotionalSample

It’s another one of those things that we all tend to do. We all tend to look for life in all the wrong places. We all tend to look for life horizontally when the reality is that we will only ever find life vertically. Somehow, some way, we all tend to look to the created world to give us life. We all carry around with us our personal catalog of “if-onlys.” “If only I was married, then I’d be happy.” “If only I could snag that job, then I’d be satisfied.” “If only we could buy that house, I don’t think I’d want another thing.” “If only my marriage was better, then I’d be okay.” “If only my children would turn out right, then I’d been content.” “If only I could achieve ____, I wouldn’t want anything more.” “If only our finances were more stable, then I wouldn’t complain anymore.”

Whatever sits on the other side of your “if-only” is where you are looking for life, peace, joy, hope, and lasting contentment of heart. The problem is that you continue to spend money on what won’t fill you and to work too hard to get what won’t ever satisfy you. It is a big, disastrous spiritual mess that leaves you fat, addicted, in debt, and with a still unsatisfied heart. Why? Because earth will never be your savior. This physical, created world, with all of its sights, sounds, locations, experiences, and relationships, has no capacity to make your heart content. This physical world was designed by God to be one big finger that points you to the only place where your heart will find satisfaction and rest. You heart will rest only when it finds its rest in God, and God alone.

So Jesus says: “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys” (Luke 12:33). What will you hook your heart to today in the hope that it will give you life? Where will you look for peace and rest of heart? What will you reach for to give you hope, courage, and a reason to continue? Where will you look in creation to try to get what only the Creator can give you? What bread will you buy today that will never fill your spiritual stomach?

Why would you frantically look to creation to give you what you already have been given in Christ? Why would you ask this broken world to be your savior when Jesus has come as your Savior to supply in his grace everything that you need?