The Weight of Wanting More
Do you feel like no matter what you achieve or what you have materially, there is an inside you still whispering, “It’s not enough”?
In Jeremiah 45:5 (ESV), God speaks directly to this restless human craving:
“And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”
These words were spoken to Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe—a man who had been faithful but discouraged, weary from serving a prophet in a collapsing world. Yet God’s message to Baruch strikes straight to the heart of self-denial: the surrender of our ambitions when God calls us to surrender selfish worldly ambition and, in its place, put full surrender to God’s purpose and plan.
Let’s explore what this means and how it applies to us today.
1. God Sees When You’re Weary of Obedience
Baruch wasn’t chasing fame; he was simply tired of following faithfully while seeing no reward. In Jeremiah 45:3, he lamented,
“Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.”
I’ve been there myself, faithfully serving, yet wondering if God notices?
God’s answer to Baruch reminds us that He does see our fatigue, but His love doesn’t always promise ease. In fact, we are reminded in the New Testament to expect storms. We are also reminded that our relationship with God is not transactional but rather relational. The way we relate to God’s will for our lives is what seals a kingdom mindset in us. Even when the world around us shakes, the Rock of Salvation is unmovable.
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9
2. The Danger of “Great Things”
Notice God didn’t condemn Baruch for ambition itself but rather for self-serving ambition. “Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not.”
When our hearts chase greatness apart from God’s will, we drift into pride, comparison, and discontentment. The “great things” we pursue, whether status, influence, financial, can subtly replace the God we were created to serve.
And the brutal reality is we never find enough in the “great things.” According to a Northwestern Mutual survey conducted in January 2024, among millionaires, only 32% of them consider themselves wealthy; 68% said they need at least $3 million to feel wealthy, while 40% said $5 million would make them feel wealthy.
I am willing to bet that the 40% would set the bar higher if they achieved $5 million. The bottom line is it is never enough!
“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” — Mark 8:36
In God’s economy, true greatness is defined not by how much attention we receive, but by the consistency of our faith.
3. God’s Warning Is Also His Mercy
In the same breath that God warns Baruch not to seek great things, He offers protection:
“But I will give you your life as a prize of war.”
Even in correction, God is merciful. He spares Baruch’s life when destruction is coming on all others. Sometimes God says no to our ambitions not to punish us but to protect us. I can relate, as I have dealt with incomprehensible situations in my work life. Admittedly, I have not dealt well with those situations, my pride, and the need for more dictated my attitude. I have come to know that God was protecting me from something; he did not want those situations to change or, as I now know, He would have changed them.
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.” — Hebrews 12:6
4. The Freedom of Letting Go
When we stop striving for greatness and start resting in obedience, peace follows.
Letting go is not losing; it is life-giving. It is believing that what God withholds is not rejection but redirection. And realistically, it is acknowledgement of His plan for my life being better than anything I can come up on my own.
Baruch’s story teaches us that God’s presence is far greater than any platform, possession, or promotion. The safest place to stand is not in success, but in surrender.
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” — Psalm 37:5
5. The Hidden Reward of Self-Denial
Jesus said plainly:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” — Luke 9:23
Self-denial is not self-destruction. It is choosing God’s path over our own.
Baruch’s “reward” was not wealth or recognition; it was life and life abundantly. And that’s still what God offers today: eternal life, spiritual peace, and a soul anchored beyond circumstances.
When we surrender our plans, we make God big, and ourselves small. I think of John the Baptist in John 3, when people are beginning to go to Jesus for baptism and his disciples are concerned, perhaps a touch envious. John’s answer was perfect,
“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete.
"He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:27-30
When Desiring God’s Will Becomes Enough
Jeremiah 45:5 is a quiet but powerful reminder that not every dream is meant to be chased.
Sometimes God’s greatest gift is not what He gives, but what He asks us to release.
In a world shouting “build your brand” and “chase your dreams,” God’s whisper still stands out:
"Seek them not."
When we stop striving for personal greatness and start living for God, we find the peace we have been chasing all along.
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