I went to a yard sale the other day, and they had a small popup camper for sale. I wasn’t looking for a camper, but by the time I’d left the sale, I’d put a deposit on it. I’ve laughed a couple of times because I bought a camper when I didn’t even know I wanted one. To make matters worse, my wife went back the next day, and the people decided not to sell the unit and returned the check. Now I had a dilemma. Although I wasn’t looking for a camper, I ended up buying one. But now I didn’t have it, and what I didn’t know I wanted before, I did. Have you ever noticed that when you’re looking for something, you can never find it, but when you’re not looking, you see it all the time? We found one about two hours away from our house and made an appointment the next day to look at it and subsequently purchase it. All of this for a camper that we weren’t looking for and didn’t even know we wanted. Human nature is a funny thing.

We are funny people. We buy things we don’t need and need things we don’t buy. Retailers know that by placing candy at the checkout, many customers will purchase it. The end caps of aisles are often where you’ll find promotional items. Again, retailers know that people will see an item while walking down the aisle looking for something else and be enticed to buy it.

I believe we’re often trying to satisfy an inner longing. Without really knowing it, our human nature longs for satisfaction. Some have seen this as a longing for significance or belonging. If we are created beings, wouldn’t it be logical to have an inner purpose for which we were created? Is it possible that some of our decisions and actions are our human nature trying to satisfy something we’re not aware is actually there? Paul, in Romans 1:18-32, speaks to the idea that the knowledge of God is so accessible to everyone that many set it aside to pursue other interests. I’ve often wondered if we’re trying to satisfy our inner desires with things that are already perishing. Perhaps our human nature is desiring the real deal; we’re just too stubborn to follow it. Think about it.