Have you ever felt convinced there was something – just one thing – that would perfect your life? It could be anything – more friends, shorter hair, a new skill, good grades, or something else. 

 Whatever it was, your entire existence started to center around the goal, slowly becoming obsessed as you convinced yourself that once you’d achieved it, everything would be okay. Your anxiety, self deprecation, and insecurities would disappear.

 All you needed was to reach that goal.  You worked as hard as possible to achieve it. You poured time and money into this goal, other parts of your life falling to the sidelines. 

 Finally, you got the one thing that was supposed to fix your life. Finally, things were going to be okay. Finally, you could be happy with who you were as a person. 

 Yet instead of filling you with joy and purpose and confidence… nothing changed. You felt no great satisfaction. The only difference was a sense of emptiness, as you slowly realized the big change that was supposed to fix your life has only left you feeling more lost and helpless.

The world claims it can fix our problems if we simply chase its promises.

 This world will try to fill the void left by our insecurities and self hate. It tells us that our appearance, friends, possessions, or success will make us feel complete. Its lies draw us in, and we start to chase things of this world in the belief that they will fulfill us.

 The goals or objects we chase might not be bad things – in fact they’re probably good things to strive for. The problem is that they become the center of our life, an obsession that directs our steps and dictates what we do.

 Every day, we strive to reach our goal, to change our lives and supposedly bring ourselves happiness. And every time we achieve success, we’re left feeling more empty. 

As long as we chase this world for fulfillment, we’re going to be left empty.

 I know what it’s like to hate some part of yourself. Time and time again I’ve fallen into the lies that if I just got that cute shirt, or dyed my hair, or lost a few more pounds, I’d be satisfied with my appearance – and by extension, I’d be satisfied with who I was. 

 Yet each time I lost weight or achieved some other goal, I just felt more empty. I convinced myself that obviously there was just something else that I needed to do to make myself feel complete. 

 That’s how the world works. It draws you in with lies, taking all of your time and energy, then leaves you feeling empty. 

 “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:17 

 The things of this world pass away so quickly, and nothing from this world is going to give you permanent satisfaction. As long as you’re chasing earthly things for worth, you’ll be left empty. 

 Any happiness that comes from this world wears off quickly, only leaving us wanting more. It drags us into a vicious cycle as we search for a fulfillment we’ll never find in worldly things.

The only way to find true peace about our life, appearance, or personality, is by looking to Christ.

 True fulfillment, Roses, comes from God. He is where we find the joy and peace this world can never give us. Nothing on this earth will ever fill us the way God does.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2

 Instead of being like this world, and chasing it for a happiness we’ll never find, we need to seek Christ. We can find ultimate joy in Him. It isn’t always easy. There are times that the temporary pleasures of this world seem so much better. 

 Yet God’s love will always be better, Roses. God’s love will never end, never run out. It won’t leave you feeling empty. God is always there for you. Turn to Him for your worth.