{Satisfied} Day III of III.

[This is Day III of my three-part word study blog posts. Call me crazy, but I really miss being in Bible class and doing in-depth studies like this. And as I'm about to leave for college, the Lord is trying to teach me a lot right now. So here's me sharing with you what I've been studying in the Word.]

Something I’ve struggled a lot with in this past season of life has been contentment. It has brought me to realize how much I place my security in my circumstances and let my emotions be determined by them. And as I move into a completely different season in my life, the Lord has been opening my eyes to how much I need place the entirety of my identity and security in him so that I am not swayed by the things that are happening around me. Especially with going to college, I need to be fully at peace and satisfied.

Satisfied.

Hebrew: שָׂבַע

To be surfeited {to be supplied with something to excess}; sated {be filled to excess}; satisfied.

To be full of; satisfied with.

Greek: χορτάζω

To be fed; satisfied; fattened.

Here are the verses that this word is used in, with each one identified in italics what the source of the satisfaction is.

“The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied.” –Proverbs 19:23

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” –Matthew 5:6

“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good and delight yourself in rich food.” –Isaiah 55:2

“Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see {light} and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” –Isaiah 53:11

“For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” –Psalm 107:9

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. . . who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” –Psalm 103: 2, 5

“For I {the Lord} will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” –Jeremiah 31:2

The sources of satisfaction = The fear of the Lord. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Eating what is good and delighting in rich food. Seeing the light. And of course, ultimately, the Lord himself.

Satisfied literally means “to be full of.” Satisfaction can only come when we are full of the Lord. A good indication that we are not abiding in the Lord and not full of his Word and truth is that we will not be content. We will not be satisfied.

God promises that he can satisfy. We just have to let go of control enough to let him. We have to stop filling up our cups with something else and let his living water flow into our life.

My heart hasn’t really clung onto this truth, but God is being patient and gracious and teaching me along the way. So my prayer is the same as Moses’s in Psalm 90:14, “Satisfy [me] in the morning with your steadfast love, that [I] may rejoice and be glad all [my] days.”

{Trust} Day II of III.

[This is Day II of my three-part word study blog posts. Call me crazy, but I really miss being in Bible class and doing in-depth studies like this. And as I'm about to leave for college, the Lord is trying to teach me a lot right now. So here's me sharing with you what I've been studying in the Word.]


I will choose to {Trust} instead of {Fear} - (see yesterday's post).

These past few months, the Lord has spoken this word over and over to me. Whenever I am feeling anxious or worrying about something, he always whispers this to me. Especially this week as I have been getting ready to leave for college and there are so many unknowns.

{Trust.}

Hebrew:  בָּטַח 
To trust
To be confident; secure; reliant on


"Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Trust in the Lord at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." -Psalm 62:10, 8

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." -Proverbs 3:5-8

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." -Isaiah 12:2
 
"For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.'" -Isaiah 30:15 

"You keep him in a perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." -Isaiah 26:3-4

  "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." -Isaiah 17:7-8


Trust = Refuge. Healing. Refreshment. Strength. Life.

Trust isn't just the act of letting go of my life. No, trust is the act of handing it over to God instead.  It is the realization that I am broken and weak and unable of running my own life. It is the recognition that God loved me enough to send his Son to take my sin upon himself and clothe me in his righteousness. It is the conviction that my Father loves me passionately and has a perfect plan for my sanctification. It is the willingness to come off the high and mighty throne of my life and ask God to occupy it instead. And it is the knowledge that there is no better choice I could ever make than that one.

{Fear} Day I of III.

[This is Day I of my three-part word study blog posts. Call me crazy, but I really miss being in Bible class and doing in-depth studies like this. And as I'm about to leave for college, the Lord is trying to teach me a lot right now. So here's me sharing with you what I've been studying in the Word.]


I leave for college in two and a half days. And although I am super excited and do feel ready for it [or at least as ready as I'll ever feel], I still have a lot of apprehension. I don't like not knowing what to expect. I fear the unknown. I fear being out of control.

{Fear.}

Hebrew:   

וָ֭רַעַד ,תִּֽירְא֥וּ ,תַּעַרְצ֖וּ

To cause to tremble; to cause terror or dread
To fear; to be afraid of
To tremble

Greek:
φόβος
Fear; terror; alarm
Reverence; respect

"Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. But I call to God, and the Lord will save me." -Psalm 55: 5, 16

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." - Deuteronomy 31:6

 

"The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalm 27:1

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" -Psalm 56:3-4

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you.'" -Isaiah 41:10, 13

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." -Matthew 10:28

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." - 2 Timothy 1:7

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" -Romans 8:1

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." -1 John 4:18

"So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'” -Hebrews 13:6 

God is sovereign. Sometimes that becomes the source of my fear [which is stupid, because when has he never come through for me?]. I want to be in control instead of him. But at the end of the day, I am so glad that it is not me, because I suck at running my own life. 

So what do I do to get rid of fear? The promise in 1 John 4:18 is extremely significant: there is no fear in love. Who is the author of love, the giver of love, and Love embodied? He is the answer. My prayer is that he will overwhelm me with his love, and I will not be able to help but love him back. Because if I am receiving love and giving love, there is no room for fear.