Everything You Ever Wished for

Imagine spending your entire life wishing for just one thing. Day after day, year after year, you grow old wishing for that one thing that you are sure will bring you ultimate joy. You may be thinking of that one thing right now. You still have never been granted the blessing to receive it. Now you begin to wonder if you will ever receive it. Then one day, there it is!

At that time, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Symeon and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; and Symeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke 2:25-38

That day came for a righteous man named Symeon. His entire life he hoped to see the savior with his own eyes. God granted him his life-long desire. Symeon not only saw Christ, but held Him in his arms. Saint Symeon was so filled with joy, he prayed that God ‘could now’ take him.

What do you wish for in life. What is that one thing that keeps you going every day? Take a moment and look back at your life’s desires through the years. If you are like me, you will notice many ‘things’ you thought would bring you the greatest joy. There have been many things that ‘came and went’ and you are still not fulfilled, so you think of another ‘thing’ to desire. You are growing old, day by day, wishing for something that has never come, and may never come.

This is what leads to depression among so many in today’s world. We desire ‘things’ that we think will bring us joy. When we receive them, there may be temporary joy, but we have never experienced the feeling that God could ‘take us now’ like Saint Symeon. Instead of joy, many of us turn to substance abuse, gambling, or other unhealthy vices. Still, we can’t find that joy. Many just want God to ‘take them now’ not because of joy, but because they can’t take the disappointment any longer.

That is because what we seek with our hearts is not what we seek with our minds. Our heart desires God. Until our mind ‘catches up’ to our hearts and chases the same desire, we will continue to fall short of joy. We will never realize the joy that Saint Symeon realized. But, it doesn’t have to be like that anymore.

Today is a new day to change what we desire. Be honest with yourself. If you have never received that great joy, either what you desire is wrong or you have to keep waiting and searching. The risk you take when you keep waiting and searching, is you may die never feeling the joy Saint Symeon felt. If that happens, you may die regretting you never changed your desire. That regret will follow you beyond the grave. That regret will be your hell. But, it doesn’t have to be like that anymore.

Today is the day you take over your desire. Today is the day you change your mind to ‘catch up’ to your heart. If your heart desires God, then tell your mind to desire God. Once your mind and your heart in ‘in sync’ you will begin to see that God is right there calling your name.

Stop chasing false happiness and start chasing God. He is easier to catch.