December 31
When You Get God, You Won’t Be Filling
Your Stomach with Ice Cream
The kind of realization we talk about—that nothing outside can bring fulfillment to you—is only theoretical. You’ve heard of it, but mere theoretical knowledge isn’t enough. To experience it, you must convince your mind. Think of your past experiences outside. Analyze them. Did they bring you inner experience? Did they bring you satisfaction, or were they only borrowed: they came and now they are gone? At the same time, remember what inner experience is.
What do you want to experience within? A little fun? A nice taste? Inner experience doesn’t mean, “I must just experience the taste of vanilla ice cream without eating it.” You can’t experience vanilla ice cream without eating it, but you can experience the pleasure of eating vanilla ice cream. What is that? Satisfaction. “Ah, I wanted vanilla ice cream, that want created an urge, we went there and got it.” So you wanted it, you got it, you ate it and then, “Ah, I got vanilla ice cream.”
You experienced the vanilla ice cream and thus you experienced your happiness, your satisfaction. But before you wanted the ice cream you were satisfied. You were contented. The minute you thought of the ice cream you lost your contentment. You went there, got it and got back your contentment. If you keep that contentment always, whether you get it or not, that’s inner experience. The inner experience is not based on anything outside.
Seek the kingdom of God, and everything else just follows. When I say everything follows that doesn’t mean literally every thing will follow. When you get God, you won’t be filling your stomach with ice cream. But you will get the contentment of having eaten a gallon of ice cream without eating it. The contentment, not the taste.