Settled

Being settled. It's such a... settling feeling, is it not? I noticed tonight that for the first time in quite a while, I feel settled. My parents are at home, healthy and hopefully happy as well. I helped my dad come home from the hospital today. He seems to be doing remarkably well considering he had major surgery just a few days ago. It's very settling to know that it went as well as one could hope. My dog is lying next to me, happy and content. She seems to have settled here quite nicely. She absolutely loves "her" new yard!

We are now mostly moved into our new house. We have more space to settle in than we ever hoped for. My belly is full. All is well with the world! But all of this "settling" causes me to wonder. Is feeling settled just a good thing, or does it bring with it the potential to cause harm? Can it cause us to drop our guard? Can it lead us to a place of complacency? Or the worst of all... will it drown out all urges to move forward?

In an age and society full of "gimme gimme gimme... more more more!" you'd think that would be the last thing to worry about... right? There's always another and better gadget to acquire... a higher pay bracket to obtain... a bigger house... a shinier ring... that new fangled whatsit that promises to deliver the perfect body in 15 mins for only 6... no... make that 5 payments of $29.99!

Yet while our physical persons are ever reaching for bigger and better (or smaller and better) things, our spiritual sides often become too settled. Complacent. Lazy. Boring, even. How many Christians are so dedicated to Christ that they are truly always pressing forward, never satisfied with what little they understand of our Lord and what small portions of the hem of His garment they have fully apprehended? His mind is so vast, His power so mind blowing and his glory so brilliant... I believe it's impossible for our human minds to fully comprehend. But are we happy in that? Do we stop there? Do we just accept what little knowledge we do have... what little bits we've gleaned from Sunday school and watered down Bible studies? Should we feel settled when it comes to matters of God? I think not.

I know that personally, when I really dig down deep and seek His face... it's like the more I get, the more I want. I'm all "gimme gimme gimme... more more more!" Yet when I allow myself to be comfortable in what I have, satisfied in what I know... settled in the place I am in... the yearning for more of Him dwindles down. I become lazy and complacent. The desire to dig deep completely vanishes. It's a vicious cycle, and it's not one that is easily broken.

How does one move from a place of complacency and spiritual laziness to a place of constantly craving more of the only One who can satisfy a soul? And more importantly... how do you even balance between settling and satisfaction? Surely we are supposed to be satisfied with the Lord... so how do you differentiate between being satisfied with Him and being satisfied with where you are with Him? I know that I don't ever want to be satisfied with where I am spiritually until I'm dancing in His presence and bowing at His feet.

So where is the balance? Can one be settled... but not settled?