The psalmist uses a deer longing for “streams of water” as he describes his thirst for God. For only in Jesus can his thirst be quenched. Jesus is the only person who can fulfill what we truly need. He’s the one who satisfies our souls as well as our spiritual thirst. As Jesus said in John 4:14 when he talked with the woman at the well, “Whosoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up into eternal life.” These are those that will have a satisfied mind.
Now, this is a good mind to have. A satisfied mind. And if we have this, this is a gold mine. For this person is a blessed person, blessed beyond measure. This person does not look for green pastures; they already have it. This person does not seek to be validated by other people. For there is nothing in this world like a satisfied mind. The satisfied mind is also the peaceful mind, the restful mind, the content mind. This is the mind that all Christians need to have.
There is no confusion in the mind of a satisfied person, one who is content. There is no jealousy or envy in the mind of a satisfied person; there is no anger and wretchedness in the mind of a satisfied person. They don’t covet what somebody else has. They don’t try to keep up with the Joneses! They don’t have the spirit of competition. They know who they are in Christ. They are at complete peace with themselves and with other people. The person with the satisfied mind gets along with others because they can get along with themselves! They have nothing to prove. They don’t worry about things they don’t have; they don’t try to be somebody they are not; they don’t live for this world; they know that they are just pilgrims and strangers here.
They know that God is in control of their lives no matter what is going on; they don’t run after riches, are faithful to their husband or wife, and are not looking for green grass! Let me say right off that a person with a satisfied mind is a happy person; they have so much joy, and they have so much peace. I want to ask y’all a question: Have you ever been truly satisfied about something? If so, you know how it feels to be satisfied or content: “I’m satisfied with who I married … with the house I live in; I’m satisfied with my life.”
When Christ is the center of your life, you can be satisfied and content no matter where you find yourselves (Phil. 4:11). When you are satisfied, you don’t look for nothing else! You don’t need nothing else; that’s why I can’t understand how somebody can come into contact with Jesus, make Him your Lord and Savior, bask in His presence, sup with Him, love on Him, pray to Him, worship Him and then not be satisfied with Him! Oh, what a Savior; isn’t He wonderful … sing hallelujah, Christ is risen!
A brother in Christ who lived a riotous life before he got saved, who after he got saved became a friend of mine, said to me some years ago, “Brother George, it doesn’t take very much to satisfy me anymore!” I agreed. When you are satisfied with something or somebody, you are content, happy, joyful, at peace, and you don’t need nobody else! That’s the way the psalmist felt, and I agree with him; listen to what he said. He said, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God” (Psa. 42:1).
Community, there are many thirsty people walking around today; not thirsty for water, but thirsty for fulfillment. They want to be satisfied; that’s the ultimate goal; running from place to place, from one bad habit to another; some are killing themselves from substance abuse, fentanyl, relationship to relationship but can’t get no satisfaction. That’s the sentiment of a lot of people. They are searching for something.
The woman Jesus met at the well was thirsty within; something was missing. Like most folk, she had tried everything, but she still did not have a satisfied mind. Five husbands, but still not satisfied; a man can’t quench this thirst; a woman can’t quench this thirst; money can’t quench this thirst; partying all night long can’t quench this thirst.
The next time we see someone on crack cocaine running back and forth to the crack house, know that they are trying to quench a thirst; the prostitute walking the streets selling her body, losing her self-respect, is trying to quench a thirst! Folk are thirsty … they don’t have a satisfied mind. To those who are weary this morning, “O come to the altar, the Father’s arms are open wide; forgiveness is bought by the blood of Jesus Christ.”
Friends, you may not have money this morning; you may not have the best things that money can buy; but I want to tell somebody that you are blessed if you’ve got a satisfied mind! The woman ran into the city and told others, “Come, see a man” (John 4:29) …
If you are thirsty this morning, like this woman, you have tried everything. I say to you, “Come meet a man that will quench your thirst … and will give you a satisfied mind!”