3 points of view from Mick Jagger, Andre Crouch and a prisoner

Back in 1965 the Rolling Stones released a song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. And the reason for no satisfaction is …”Cause I try and I try and I try and I try and I try…” Essentially what the Rolling Stones are saying is indeed a universal reality. Satisfaction, happiness, peace of mind don’t come from effort or performance. We can all agree that Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, even at the time the song was released would more than qualify for what we call success. And yet (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.

Then in 2003 Andre Crouch released an equally popular song for some audiences, me included, titled, Through It All. The lyrics include “I’ve been to lots of places, seen lots of faces. I’ve had many fears and sorrows” but “Through It All I’ve learned to trust Jesus, I’ve learned to trust God”. Implied in these lyrics is the message that satisfaction and peace of mind, happiness and joy come from a source bigger  than self.

Going way back in history, we have a letter in the New Testament written by Paul at a time when he was under house arrest in Rome, about 61 A.D. One need not be a Christian to appreciate the sheer joy that fills this letter to the Philippians. Again and again Paul urges his audience to be joyful. There is no exhortation to try and try or to pursue through hard work and  success to attain satisfaction. It is evident that satisfaction is already present; it does not need pursuing.

So the letter says, “Do not be anxious about anything”. Nothing renders joy and satisfaction more fleeting than anxiety. Anxiety for success and achievement, anxiety for power and prestige, anxiety for fame and recognition or even just anxiety because of uncertainty.

The remedy for anxiety and the assurance of peace and joy is trust in the power that is higher than self.