"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." -John Piper
We filter everything we do with the thought of "Will I be satisfied by this or in this?" No matter what comes up you will always ask yourself "How will this be good for me?" So with that in mind, what are things that you find satisfaction doing or being a part of?
Satisfaction is gratification of a desire. As humans we have desires out the wazoo! Food, water, friendship, love, sex, drugs, alcohol, sensuality, television, music, etc... But the question is what can we satisfy ourselves with that will be pleasing to God?
First and foremost, not everything is a sin. I want to make that very clear because some people want to take some of these things and declare them 100% sin. A few of these things that are not always sinful are food, sleep, sex, alcohol, drugs, and money. If these are done with boundaries and moderation, they are not sinful to satisfy yourself with. Let's stick with these for now and I'll expound upon them.
Food
Food is a huge part of the American life. Big breakfast, big lunch, big dinner, big desert, and a big midnight snack. Gluttony is a gigantic problem in our culture. We worship our stomachs and please ourselves to the point of pain and suffering just to taste the delicious food that is put before us. Proverbs 23:21 says that the glutton will come to poverty. Why? Because he is spending all of his money on more food than he needs to nourish his body. In verse 20 the Bible says that you should stay away from the glutton. Even the smallest influence can cause you you fall into the dangerous and unhealthy life of a glutton. Use food to glorify God by eating to live and not living to eat. I don't mean to say only eat what is necessary, but rather don't over-indulge yourself with food. It's more along the lines of enjoy healthy food to preserve and take care of the body God has given you.
Sleep
Oh, how we love to sleep! Many of us love sleep to the point of neglecting our responsibilities. God even mocks those who are lazy by telling them to go look at how hard the ants work! How embarrassing that we are such sluggards that God has to use ants as an example for us to be hard workers and responsible! Use your sleep to rest your body to do work for the Lord.
Sex
Uh oh! Not this topic! Yes, and please don't shun this paragraph because of the topic. Sex is a basic human desire. It is in our nature to have a sex drive. When done in the bounds of marriage between one man and one woman, it is a good thing and pleasing to God (because He created it for a husband and wife to enjoy each other and produce offspring). When engaged in any sexual activity outside of marriage it is a sin. Fornication (sex before marriage), adultery (sex with some who is not your spouse), homosexual activities (sex with a person of the same sex), and beastiality (sex with animals) are all sexual activities that are regarded as sin and anyone who claims to be a Christian should be abstain from them.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a huge topic that many people get hung up on. Alcohol in and of itself is not sinful. Drinking alcohol is not sinful. It is sinful when a person become intoxicated by it, when drunkenness is brought forth by it. In moderation alcohol is okay, but that "little bit too much" can be enough to set you over the edge into sinful drunkenness. I can understand why so many people would believe and teach alcohol is a sin. Sometimes it's better for people to stay away from it. If you are tempted to drink yourself into drunkenness, stay away from it for your own soul's sake. If you feel guilty drinking alcohol, you should stay away from it. If something goes against your conscience, even if it is falls within biblical boundaries, stay away! It is a sin for you to engage in it. On a side note, if you are a Christian who drinks not to drunkenness and you find your conscience giving you an okay, then don't proclaim it to your brothers and sisters in Christ who can't drink with a clean conscience. Romans 14:22 says to keep it between yourself and God. Otherwise you are taunting them to the point of thinking you are in sin. You may even drive them to go against their conscience and sin by drinking, and that will be on your hands.
Drugs
This one won't take long to explain. Drugs are to be used to help your body and mind be in a more healthy state. If you are sick, take medication to help you get better. Anything that damages your body or alters your state of mind is a sin. Many times people get addicted to drugs and their desire is be in that altered mental state. Their flesh is gratified by the effects of the drugs beyond their helpful purpose. There are even drugs that have no other purpose except to put a person in an altered state of being.
Money
"Show me the money!" The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. If you look back at all the things I just wrote about, you will find that they can all be attained by money. Along with those things, the desire to gain wealth for yourself for the glory of yourself is sinful. Money should be looked at as gift of God to further the Gospel to all people, sustain the life of you and your family, and help those who are less fortunate than you are. Use it wisely because God has not given it to you to throw at worthless things.
There are things all throughout this life that you will have the option of satisfying yourself with. The question and responsibility you have is whether or not you will choose futile or God-pleasing satisfaction in all things.
Worship the Lord by letting your satisfaction be completely in Him always.
Blessings,
Nick
