It’s a bite that kills. It steals the joy we crave. It snuffs out the spark of life within us. It deceives and destroys relationships. Because of it, our longings are never satiated.

We take our first delectable bite and relish the deliciousness of the taste. The tantalizing flavor bring a satisfaction that soothes our longings. For a moment, we believe this is the answer to what we’ve been searching for. We believe we are somehow immune to the consequences of this bite. But, just like it’s creator, this “bite of lust” is never satisfied until it has spread it’s poison into our bloodstream. It won’t stop until it has utterly destroyed us. Instead of giving the “life” it so boldly advertises, it does just the opposite. It sucks the “life” away from us. It always comes back to harm us!

When Eve was offered a bite of the forbidden fruit, she was surrounded by unimaginable beauty, perfection, and completeness. She had more than everything she needed for her joy and happiness. Why did the fruit on that forbidden tree look sweeter than all the others? Why didn’t she relish everything God had blessed her with rather than having her eyes set on the one tree she was banned from? Eve saw what she didn’t have and desired more. Just a bit more. If only she could have one bite.

Eve wasn’t so much different from me. Or you. We also have wandering eyes, lustful thoughts, and ungrateful hearts. We think we need just a bit more to make us happy. When we don’t get what we need, we then have the tendency to blame God or others. We live with chronic disappointments.

John D. Rockefeller was, at one time, the richest man on earth. He was America’s first billionaire. When he was asked, “How much money is enough money?” He replied, “Just a little bit more.”

Everywhere we look, there are false “advertisements” of what life has to offer us. Facebook, Pinterest, and other social media has often painted an unrealistic view of what everyone else has and is experiencing. It hardly ever shows us the full picture of a person’s life…just their highlights.

When we see someone’s new house, we don’t see the years of hard work and careful saving and sacrifice that made it possible. Someone’s travel photos posted on Facebook may appear idyllic, but we may never see the tears or strained relationships that were so well disguised. We see the effectiveness of someone’s ministry, and we seem to think it is all glamor and fulfillment. It’s easy to be envious when we see a glimpse of someone’s great family or marriage relationships, yet, sometimes we aren’t willing to make the sacrifices necessary to have these ourselves.

The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. The “fruit” that’s just beyond our grip looks so much sweeter. We would be happier if we had just a bit more money, or if we’d have a little more time to relax. Once we have just a bit more of what others have, we would be happy. We don’t need a lot more to satisfy us…just a bit more! Perhaps just ONE bite will satisfy.

Lies. All lies. Have you ever believed them? Have you been living in the future instead of savoring the moments today? If so, then this is for you!

I have a lot to learn yet in this area, but I’ve discovered a few things along the way. The first thing is to realize that no one is living a picture-perfect life. Everyone does much “photo-shopping” if their lives are portraying perfection. We all have our difficulties, struggles, and trials we go through. Please don’t compare your journey through life with another person’s journey.

If we believe some thing is essential for our joy and fulfillment, then we’ve been deceived. If we’re only happy when we are satisfying our desires, then we haven’t really learned how to live. We don’t fully understand the meaning of joy.

When we learn how to enjoy the small and mundane things in life, then we are beginning to fully live. Even though there’s nothing wrong in anticipating something special, it will never satisfy unless we’ve first experienced the gift of savoring the moment; realizing we currently have everything we need for our present happiness.

If we learn how to enjoy the mundane tasks of washing dishes, mowing the lawn, cooking dinner, taking out the garbage, balancing a checkbook, and cleaning the garage, then we have learned how to live. We need nothing else. We’ve found contentment and true joy! The bite has lost it’s power over us.

Do you have joy in your journey? What choices are hindering you?

~Cindy (For The Mullett Family)