3.15.2007

Restlessness

Here is part of something I'm working on right now. Give it a read and let me know what you think.

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Restlessness

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” ~ Matthew 11:28-29

There’s a restlessness in the heart; there’s a shadow of emptiness that follows us around and hangs on us like wet wool. There’s an anxiety in our stomachs that’s not too easily assuaged by the morning coffee. It’s an assertive heaviness that we shoulder from the time our alarms go off in the morning till quitting time. As the afternoon fades, the feeling gives way to the anxiety of tomorrow: we’ll have to do this all over again then.

I describe a condition well known to many—it’s the fundamental human condition of restlessness. We go through life wondering subconsciously, ‘why am I here?’ pining for the answer as we do this thing called life day in and day out. There’s work, family (which does offer a certain level of respite, at least for some; for others it’s a major source of restlessness and stomach acid), TV (a worthless way to waste time rather than redeem it, to be sure), and sleep. We do enough of these cycles and we reach the end—death. Doesn’t sound like much of an existence, does it? I would say a dog has a better life than this (due mostly to the fact that a larger percent of its day can be attributed to sleep—who wouldn’t want to laze around all day on the couch?!).

As we trudge through life, isn’t there more than this? Is the restlessness in our souls an indicator of a deep problem? Could it be inferring to each of us that we ought to set out on a search for something more? Something that satiates, something that brings rest?

Jesus really catches the flavor of our problem as He extends His invitation:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden….”~ Matthew 11:28a

For many, life feels like seriously hard labor. We feel heavy laden, bearing a load that I’m not so sure we were designed to bear. It’s like towing a camper with a compact car; it’s a burden unbearable, sure to break everything in us.

So what gives? Why is life like this? Why is there this weariness, this tiredness? Why is there such an appeal within each of us to answer the invitation of Jesus, “Come to Me…”?

©Bill Sines, 2007

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It's obviously just a start....

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is an amazing thing to reflect on...having a hole in my heart so big, and so deep that nothing, NOTHING can even come close to filling it. Then realizing how much I need Christ, and accepting Him and following Him to an ever growing relationship, my heart is now whole. So full as a matter of fact it is bursting. I have an insatiable urge to pray, repent, sing, and grow in my relationship with Christ. It is like my life went from so hollow and meaningless I had that constant feeling restlessness you talked about. Now my life is so full with an abundance of joy in Christ I can't even contain myself. It is like having a new sense of restlessness where the old feeling was brought on with a lack of Christ, and Him calling me. Now the new feeling is like Him saying "Now that I have you...be prepared for me to use you in great way." And let me tell you, I can't wait.

p.s. Bill, thanks for the literature and the sign. It rocks!

Bill Sines said...

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:37, 38