The serpent lured Eve into eating the fruit, and she convinced Adam to do the same. From that moment on, humanity has lived in a fallen state, easily succumbing to temptation. God gave Adam and Eve countless blessings and only asked them to avoid one tree—yet they still chose to disobey Him.
In our own lives, God continues to give us countless good things to nourish our bodies and souls. Yet we often choose the few things that harm or even destroy us. How often have we heard of a man married to a beautiful woman in more ways than one and yet he still cheats on her? Or a woman who has plenty of money but shoplifts from department stores? We struggle to be content with what we have, always wanting more.
This desire is both the problem and the solution. When we chase after people, places, possessions, and experiences, we end up feeling empty. But when we fill ourselves with God, we find true satisfaction. As eternal beings, we naturally crave the eternal—temporary things will never be enough. Only God and His endless goodness can fill that void.
Though we constantly fall into temptation and sin, God’s mercy is always within reach when we approach Jesus with a contrite heart. He never condemns those who are truly sorry and intend to change. Sin draws us away from the One we need and desire most and so avoiding sin is important if we want to stay close to God and be perfectly happy.
Last week, we heard the story of the prodigal son who thought he could make it on his own. His journey ended in loss and despair. But when he realized even his father’s servants had it better than he did, he returned home, ready to repent. Instead of condemnation or a stern lecture, his father embraced him with open arms and celebrated his return with a feast.
God doesn’t want to see us destroy ourselves, but He respects our free will. Love cannot be forced—it must be freely given. Let’s choose to use that freedom to fill our hearts with God. Only then will we find everlasting joy.
