proverbs 14.14 says, 'he that is of a perverse heart is satisfied with his own ways; and a good man from himself'.
'perverse', one turning aside, in this context it would seem...one who is turning aside from God's way is likened to dross, which is that useless part which is separated, drawn away the good part..God! the idea of the first part of the verse is not that there is true satisfaction found apart from God, but that the reward of a person's wandering from God is estrangement from God.
the 'good' man, on the other hand, is satisfied not with having his own way but is satisfied because he no longer is doing what he wants but what God wants.
so the verse would seem to say that the only true satisfaction is not having to do what oneself wants but what God wants, just as the only true freedom is not doing what oneself wants but being free to do what God wants.
some time ago i wanted to get ahold of what the core idea of 'joy' is. after following all the etymological trails from that word in webster i came up with the concept 'enough'.
tonight i was in great peace and joy with the Lord and thought of this and went to webster to look at 'enough' and this is what i found: satisfy, please, content; be quiet, satisfied. the definition proper:
that satisfies desire, or gives content
that may answer to purpose
that is adequate to the wants
a sufficiency.
i have little spots of what i would think approach the fruit of the Spirit, joy. but they are at this point in my life few and sometimes far between. if i were fully changed in heart experiencing an ongoing freedom to do what God wants i believe there would be much more joy. i find that nothing and no one i know or have known or hope to know is enough...only Jesus. oh may God give me a heart of flesh in place of my heart of stone, oh may He cause me to walk in His statutes so that i may be careful to observe His ordinances.
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