A little while ago, a brother asked me why someone who already has ‘everything’ (in quotes) he could ever pray for—houses, cars, a beautiful family, a great job, sound health, and influence—would be willing to believe in Jesus. I know this is the silent question lingering in the minds of many believers. First, as the Apostle Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19). So, what difference truly does Jesus offer?

We are all familiar with the famous observation attributed to the renowned economist Adam Smith: “Human wants are unlimited and insatiable.” Less than two years ago, I acquired what I considered my dream laptop—a sleek, high-performance machine powered by a six-core processor. I had longed for such an enviable device for months, imagining how satisfying it would be to finally own one.

The day I purchased it, I was filled with excitement. As I admired my long-awaited possession, I told myself with absolute conviction, After this one, my search is over.

Fast forward to today, and I find myself back in the same cycle, once again thinking about an even better laptop. My point is, there is no limit to the betterment of our desires.

Imagine something you could receive right now—something so complete that nothing else could replace it or follow it. That desire would stand at the apex of all desires, the limit of your otherwise unlimited desires.

Humanly speaking, there is no such thing. But God did not create man for endless dissatisfaction. David wrote, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). In other words, there is “one thing thou lackest” (Mark 10:21)—the one thing that fulfils everything.

What could possibly come after Jesus as an improved version? He declared, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). What Jesus offers is the fullness of joy, characterised by pleasures that endure forever. It’s called joy-unspeakable (rest and satisfaction), that remains
unshaken regardless of circumstances.

This cannot be fully captured on paper. It is an experience that everyone who has genuinely received and believes in Jesus with their heart will, sooner or later, find themselves, often unquantifiably, trying to express.

This satisfaction can be traced to a shift in focus. A rich young ruler came to Jesus—despite having everything, he knew deep down that he still lacked something essential. So he asked, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “Obey the commandments.”

“I have observed all the commandments from my youth,” he said.

Then Jesus answered, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:17-22).

A heaven-focused mindset, a deep desire to please God with all that we have, and a continual consciousness of His delight in our obedience often become the wellspring of true satisfaction. When our hearts are set on advancing the interests of God’s kingdom and pursuing His righteousness, we discover that God Himself becomes the source of our sufficiency and fulfilment.

As we devote ourselves to the demands of His kingdom, He faithfully attends to the needs of our lives. Jesus expressed this profound truth when He declared, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). The soul that earnestly longs for what pleases God will never remain empty; in pursuing Him,
it encounters a satisfaction that earthly possessions can never provide.