The Search for True Satisfaction (Proverbs 27:20)
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Proverbs 27:20
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
Sheol and Abaddon are depictions of the grave – of hell – always ready and willing to devour more souls, never satisfied with the number already under their possession. That’s dark as it is, yet it’s crazy to see it compared to us and our own eyes.
Just like how the gates of hell are never satisfied with the number of souls they possess, neither are the eyes of man satisfied by any earthly thing.
We as humans are always searching for what we can never find – lasting satisfaction in earthly things. We follow after what we think will fulfill us, and once we’ve got it, we realize we’re still wanting. Theologian Charles Bridges says:
"The summit of man’s ambition, when reached, is not his resting place; only the point whence he stretches after something higher."
And we see this everywhere.
Think about your own life – whether it’s sports, work, or relationships. Have you ever reached a goal, only to find yourself immediately looking for the next thing?
In sports, there’s always another level to be reached, another record to be broken, another accomplishment to be had. In the workplace, there’s always another promotion, another deal, another dollar to chase. Even in relationships, we aren’t immune – people get restless, discontent, and constantly look for more. Dissatisfaction is a huge factor in the turmoil we see in many relationships today.
And here’s the bottom line:
We desire a kind of satisfaction that the world can’t offer – yet we keep seeking it anyway. If you were to give someone the world, they’d still end up weeping for another.
Why?
Because we yearn for our Maker. We were designed for something greater than this world.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 says:
"God has put eternity into man’s heart."
Deep inside, we all long for something more – something lasting, something eternal. That’s why nothing in this life ever quite fills us up. And the only thing that can truly satisfy us is God Himself.
Our wandering eyes will never meet their match until they meet their Maker.
The Psalmist in Psalm 17 knew this well, saying:
"As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness."
That’s the only road to satisfaction right there. Every day, we should wake up and say that along with the Psalmist:
‘Today Lord, I will behold and fix my eyes on your face and your righteousness, and I will be satisfied with your likeness’.
There’s another Psalm, Psalm 90, written by Moses, in which he prays in verse 14:
‘Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may be glad and rejoice all our days’.
That’s a powerful prayer. And it leads well into our own time praying through this verse today.
With this verse, when your eyes wander, where do they go?
Where are you tempted to find satisfaction outside of Jesus?
And what would it look like for you to fix your eyes on Jesus for the purpose of being satisfied by Him today and continually?
