The other day I was talking with a friend, and she was relating to me how sad she felt at the fact that businesses in our community, directly or indirectly, play down the significance of Thanksgiving—almost like we are forced to think now about Christmas shopping before we even get to the table of gratitude.
I believe what my friend was describing points to a larger reality that characterizes us as humans beings. One little word can summarize it: “lust.”
From a biblical point of view, I see that lust (desire, craving) fills the pages of the Bible as if God wants to make it very obvious to us that we are people who regularly lust after something, be it pleasure, comfort, beauty, respect, fame, goods, relationships, praise, clothes, looks, admiration, affirmation, happiness, freedom, money, peace, fulfillment, balance, and the list goes on and on.
As I reflect, I think I am convinced that lust has come and is here to stay. An unwanted guest that has permanency in our hearts. How did I formulated this thought? It comes right from James 1:14, and its context offers us a clear picture. In this case, lust is already present at each temptation we experience in life.
Contrary to popular thought, temptation brings out of us something that already exists inside of us. The apostle James tells us that we are not tempted by God, but rather we are tempted as we are lured and enticed by our own lust. So in reality, circumstances—good or bad—set us up to bring the lust already residing inside of us out into the light. So lust is already inside of us and it is here to stay.
Lust is like a black hole. You can feed it a little bit of this or a little bit of that, but it is never satisfied. Lust will keep searching for more, better, greater and more fulfilling.
I am thankful that God has provided ways for us to not live hopelessly in the face of lust.
He commands us to practice contentment and gratitude (Ephesians 5:20).
He provides us with something far better than lust, abundant grace (Hebrews 4:16).
He illustrates for us, in Jesus, the highest forms of joy and fulfillment there can ever be (John 4:34).
He is powerful to transform our hearts so that we can live out new desires that honor Him (Jeremiah 32:39).
So whether you are at the store, opening your mail or checking your emails, don’t allow the appeal to your lusts to grab you by the neck lest you fall into the black hole!
—Diego Cuartas
