All Get What They Want...They Do Not Always Like It

In C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew, Jadis (later to become the White Witch) steals and eats the fruit of life. She got what she wanted: long life, vigor, unmatched strength and power. She did not like it, however. Immediately, the fruit made her extremely pale, long term it brought pain and evil. She tempted Digory to steal some of the fruit to heal his mother. True to its nature, the fruit would have healed her, but because of its stolen nature, the healing would have been worse than death. Everything in life works according to its nature, but it is not always what we expect.

Ezekiel 14:2-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity.”

The Israelites were God’s chosen people. They had the temple with His presence in their midst. They had His Word to show them how to live. They had His promises and lived in the Promised Land. But they weren’t content with that. They wanted their own selfish desires. They wanted life to go how they planned, not according to God’s plans. All they had to do was to live as God decreed and they would be blessed. Unfortunately, they wanted the blessing without the work. Instead of following God, they made their own idols. They chose to trade worship of God (and life according to His rules) for worship of idols which would give them what they wanted.

They got what they wanted. The idols gave what the people desired. Sadly, it did not work out the way the people planned. Sin never does. Sin always works according to its order. The trouble is it lies to us about what it gives. It promises life and happiness. Unfortunately, that life and “happiness” are empty and full of pain. The people traded instant gratification for eternal joy, sinful desires for abundant spiritual life. The end result of sin is always death, and they got what they asked for. They were besieged, killed or taken captive, and their country was left desolate for decades. The only way to stop that roller coaster of death was to repent, to admit their sin was wrong and completely turn away from it to God. Sadly, they refused to give up their idols.

How often do we do that? How often do we choose our way instead of God’s way? It happens more than we are willing to admit. We desire a life of ease and happiness. We desire love and pleasure. Sometimes the simple act of desiring those things becomes an idol, wanting what we want when we want it.

It is the same with adultery. We are tempted by another person, by promises of greater happiness and fulfillment so we leave our spouse to be with that other person. Sadly, it NEVER turns out the way we think it will. We get what we want, but we do not like what we get. Sin always destroys. It is never satisfying. It always falls short of its promises.

God never does. He is always faithful, always more and better than we want. The only way to get what is best, to get what our hearts truly desire, is through God. It is only through seeking our fulfillment in Him that we can be truly satisfied.

Psalm 37:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

What do you want? What are you doing to get it? Are you seeking that fulfillment through obedience to God, allowing Him to fulfill you in His way, or are you trying to find your own satisfaction? You will get what you want. Make sure it is something you will like.