BY THE LATE ELDER B. E. ECHOLS
While reading an article recently entitled “A Prescription for a Good Life “I was impressed by a statement that contained the words of this subject. What condition do you think men and women would be in who
professed to be Christians that were in such a state of mind and spirit as this–“saaatisfied with an UNsatisfied satisfaction?” I wish that each of you would pause right here for a few moments, before you read any further and see what conclusion you can come concerning the meaning of this subject.
For a Christian to be “satisfied with an UNsatisfied satisfaction” continually simply means that he never reaches the place or condition in his Christian experience to where he becomes satisfied with his
previous attainments or accomplishments to the extent that he does not desire to press on for more and greater things in God. This kind of heart condition is likely the thing that is causing some of God’s
people to be doing so much planning and building for God today. The work of the Lord would certainly be blessed and advanced more if we had more Christians and ministers who were possessed with this kind of
spirit.
The Unhealthful State Of Many Christians
Well herein must be the underlying cause for many of our shortcomings and non-progressive attitudes toward the work of the Lord. It is also the root cause of so many Christians having an indifferent and
unconcerned spirit. Such conditions are certainly due to the fact that certain church folk are NOT “satisfied with an Unsatisfied satisfaction”–which is a wholesome and profitable condition for any Christian to be in. Did Jesus not say “blessed are they which DO (the word “do” here denotes constant) hunger and thirst after righteousness?” A Christian who has become satisfied with his attainments in God and for God, either materially or spiritually is in a deplorable condition. He is in danger of backsliding (Zephaniah 1:12-13, 17-18): yea worse than that the Word of God pronounces “a woe” upon those “that are AT EASE in Zion ” (Amos 6:1) We further read “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will … punish the men that are SETTLED ON THEIR LEES; … Therefore their goods shall become a booty and their houses a desolation” (Zephaniah 1:12-13). So it will not pay any Christian to become satisfied with their past achievements and do nothing about pressing on to greater heights and deeper depths in God.
The Healthful State Of Some Christians
After many years of toil anti Christian living which had been accompanied with much success and great spiritual attainments the Apostle Paul was still “satisfied with an UNsatisfied satisfaction “He was ever striving to press in to greater things in God. As he stated “Brethren, 1 count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind (all such attainments and
accomplishments) and REACHING FORTH unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:13,14).
At this time Paul had made several missionary tours of Asia and Europe, helped establish many churches, and had been blessed of the Lord to perform many miracles for the healing of the sick and the protection of
the cause of God–as recorded in acts 13:6-12; 14:8-11; 16:23-35; 19:11,12; 28:3-5,8,9. If Paul had become satisfied with his previous attainments at this time, he possibly would have never written many of
those letters to the churches, which constitutes a greater part of the New Testament–as we now have it.
It’s a wonderful thing to be possessed with an INSATIABLE desire or ambition, that cannot be satisfied or pacified by any amount of attainments or spiritual progress, which urges one on to greater attainments for God and his own soul. This kind of spirit possessed the writer who composed the song, “Nearer My God To Thee.” It is shown in the following stanza:
“Or if on joyful wing, cleaving the sky, Sun, moon and stars forgot upward I fly; (And after attaining such heights as these) Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to Thee.”
May God grant that you and I shall ever be possessed with such a noble and propelling ambition as this, which will prevent us from ever becoming indifferent or from settling on our lees.
Wonderful Examples To Imitate
Men and women of God, who have been “satisfied with an Unsatisfied satisfaction.” have left us some wonderful examples to follow and some touching and inspiring testimonies to encourage us to imitate their
spirit and actions in this respect. The Apostle Paul, at the time of his departure, had this to say: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day,” (2 Timothy 4:7,8). Oh, glory, hallelujah! No one can tell us that it does not pay for one to be possessed with such a
wonderful disposition as this.
Some Final Remarks And Exhortations
We had better “watch and pray” DAILY or we will become indifferent and “settle on our lees,” as the Moabites (Jeremiah 48:11-12) and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did (Zephaniah 1:12,13) and were forsaken by the Lord and spoiled by all their enemies, both naturally and spiritually. It will take the same thing to keep us “satisfied with an UNsatisfied satisfaction,” that it did for Paul–a constant supply or filling of the Holy Ghost. There is nothing in the way of a religious profession that can be substituted for the indwelling Spirit of the all- sufficient Christ. We must have our souls renewed and refilled with His Spirit every day (see Second Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 5:18; Philippians 4:13) or we will lose that healthful spiritual state of being “satisfied with an UNsatisfied satisfaction.”
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE LATE ELDER B. E. ECHOLS. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
