Satisfaction (We Can't Get No)

If I can choose a song to describe our generation and the way of thinking of it, is this one:

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no girl reaction
Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm ridin' round the world
And I'm doin' this and I'm signing that
And I'm tryin' to make some girl
Who tells me baby better come back later next week
Cause you see I'm on losing streak
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say (“I Can’t Get No” Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones, 1965)

It is so funny how that song, written in 1965, described the feeling of two complete different generations that wanted more and more of the world. But it is just the cry of a human heart which can’t get enough. Mick described exactly what have been going on through our minds since creation. That’s why we created physical idols in the past! Doesn’t matter how much we try and try and try, doesn’t matter what we use, doesn’t matter who we hurt, we can’t get no satisfaction in our lives.

We live in the Microwave Era: everything is express. Is like instant ramen. It fills our stomachs but is the unhealthiest thing ever. It gives us the illusion of satisfaction, but it makes us hungrier than before. The idea of something microwaved gives you another idea: nothing is really cooked. You don’t let the fire to make the cooking process, in order to get a good meal. We treat life and its ups and downs the same way. Why do we act that way? Whom do we blame? Technology? The internet? Competition? Social Media? Money?

Let’s blame our lack of self-control, but most importantly: our lack of direction.

To those who are called by the name of Christ, God granted the Spirit of love, power and self-control (2 Tim. 1:7). The idea of the word granted clears the air concerning our capability of living that way: Yes, we are able to live in love, power and self-control. We are able to resist and to hold on onto patience. We are able and equipped to live the way God wants us to live. Now, why do we hate to live under the safeguard of self-control? Our sinful body of flesh is the key and answer. Our body is a magnet of desires and yearns like a hungry baby for satisfaction. Our sinful minds and hearts know how good we feel when our body is satisfied and granted pleasures; therefore, we look for any mean possible to give our body what it wants.   

However, there is the catch: God knows that what we want is not what we need! He knows our bodies are temporary and what prevails forever is our soul. God is the Lover of our souls, and He delights to save souls and bodies from Hell! That’s why He cares enough to call us to not let our bodies’ desires to control us, because our bodies are ruled by sin! (Romans 6:12-13). When God calls us to abstain from satisfy our bodily desires, He is not spoiling the fun neither making restrictions for our enjoyment of life; the opposite: God is the creator of every good thing. He is the creator of every pleasure imaginable; Alas, there are pleasures forevermore at His right hand (Psalms 16:11)! He wants us to enjoy those things correctly, under the lens of the real satisfaction: the spiritual one. I can say this because God Himself provided the food that satisfies the soul. There is where we lack vision. We try to fill our soul with ‘ramen’ instead with some ‘well-cooked homemade stew’. We don’t believe God provided the food our souls need, or in worse cases, when we get that food in our plates, we reject it like a spoiled child who hates to eat his veggies.

When we get laid, we expect pleasure at the expenses of other person, when we actually look for personal intimacy.

When we get drunk, we expect dizziness and happiness, when we look for real stability.

When we get high, we expect to forget the problems, when we actually look for solutions for those problems.

When we eat, we expect our stomachs to be full, when we look for our hearts to be filled.

When we travel, we expect to run away from our world, when we look for a place we can call home.

When we party we expect people to compliment and envy us, when we actually look for a real family.

Do you see the difference? How dumb are we? We listen to a basic, animalistic voice who demands us, “Satisfy, Satisfy!” and we reject the subtle voice who calls us and says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”(John 6:35). We neglect the one who knows our heart, just because He doesn’t deliver when we want or how we want. We neglect the provision He gives, because we rather have what we want instead of what we need.

We don’t deserve God.

Even thou He gave His only Son to die for us. So we can be satisfied. So we can get away from the instant ramen of life and we can grab a good loaf of Bread of Life. Real Life. Those who are called by the name of Christ can actually refute Sir Mick’s allegations. You can get satisfaction in this life.