HOPE BEYOND DISSATISFACTION (13 OF 14)
Scripture: I PETER 5:5-7
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Hope Beyond Dissatisfaction (13 of 14)
David Cawston
I Peter 5:5-7
INTRODUCTION:
Our society has just gorged itself on the sweet taste of success.
Our newsstands are piled with magazines that tout success as the way of life. We've gobbled down seminars, notebooks, cassette albums and videotapes.
The irony of this is that there is never enough success in anybody's life to make one feel completely satisfied.
What we find is that instead of fulfillment, we experience the bloated sensation of being full of ourselves – our dreams, our goals, our plans, our projects and our accomplishments.
The result of this "all you can eat" appetite is not contentment – it's nausea.
It's terribly dissatisfying. Executive Digest writes: "The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown."
The message of success falls into four powerful categories:
1. Fortune
We seem to believe that anyone who is considered successful must have more money than the average person, and so fortune is necessary.
There is nothing wrong with having money that's honestly earned, but what's wrong is to believe that it will bring you success and contentment.
2. Fame
You need to be a celebrity or a "social somebody." Fame equates to popularity and significance, and that is such a hollow cup.
3. Power
Power says that to be successful you need to wield a lot of authority – flex your muscles, take charge, be in control or push yourself up to the front.
4. Pleasure
To be successful you need to be able to do whatever feels good.
These messages have bombarded us from every direction – but stop and ask yourself this question:
"Isn't there something very significant absent here?
Doesn't everything that we promote about success revolve around me?"
What's missing is a vertical dimension.
There's not ever a hint of God's will or what pleases Him.
Notice also that nothing in that horizontal list guarante ...
David Cawston
I Peter 5:5-7
INTRODUCTION:
Our society has just gorged itself on the sweet taste of success.
Our newsstands are piled with magazines that tout success as the way of life. We've gobbled down seminars, notebooks, cassette albums and videotapes.
The irony of this is that there is never enough success in anybody's life to make one feel completely satisfied.
What we find is that instead of fulfillment, we experience the bloated sensation of being full of ourselves – our dreams, our goals, our plans, our projects and our accomplishments.
The result of this "all you can eat" appetite is not contentment – it's nausea.
It's terribly dissatisfying. Executive Digest writes: "The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown."
The message of success falls into four powerful categories:
1. Fortune
We seem to believe that anyone who is considered successful must have more money than the average person, and so fortune is necessary.
There is nothing wrong with having money that's honestly earned, but what's wrong is to believe that it will bring you success and contentment.
2. Fame
You need to be a celebrity or a "social somebody." Fame equates to popularity and significance, and that is such a hollow cup.
3. Power
Power says that to be successful you need to wield a lot of authority – flex your muscles, take charge, be in control or push yourself up to the front.
4. Pleasure
To be successful you need to be able to do whatever feels good.
These messages have bombarded us from every direction – but stop and ask yourself this question:
"Isn't there something very significant absent here?
Doesn't everything that we promote about success revolve around me?"
What's missing is a vertical dimension.
There's not ever a hint of God's will or what pleases Him.
Notice also that nothing in that horizontal list guarante ...
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