Every day, we get invitations from idols, ideologies, gurus, and snake oil salesmen, luring us with promises of health, wealth, power, comfort, peace, success, and glory. We face a cacophony of voices from advertisements, friendly advice, and email and text messages. Read this article, buy that product, take this tonic, attend that seminar, get this academic degree, try this relationship or job, they say, and you will find fulfilment, peace, and success. As often is the case, however, all these “solutions” will eventually fail. They fail because we are measuring success only by how fast we go in life, by the speed at which we accumulate possessions and add to the list of our achievements—which, ironically, becomes a record of the distractions we have faced along life’s journey. They fail because we are being persuaded to try all solutions except the one given by God, and to go everywhere except to Jesus.
It is thus important to ensure that we are going the correct way: towards Jesus. Direction is more important than speed or efficiency; making sure that we are heading towards the right person or thing, and staying on track, is critical. If we lose our way, we will become restless—and may end up rushing forward recklessly. We need to learn to read our spiritual compass so that we know which way our lives are heading; this is an essential spiritual skill.
Unfortunately, many of us are too busy or distracted to notice our real need for Jesus, and we end up falling for the false and confusing promises offered in the modern marketplace. If we care to listen, however, we will hear the voice of Jesus in our hearts. We will see His compassion and come to realise that He is the only solution for our confusion and loneliness. We must then respond immediately, overcoming our fears and hesitation as we walk to Jesus in faith.
Consider this:
Assess the direction that your life is taking, and reflect on the key aspects—your walk with God, your family life, your involvement in the Christian community, your witness in society, and your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. What do they say about where your life is going? Where might you need to make changes?
Excerpt and adapted from Finding Rest for the Soul: Responding to Jesus’ Invitation in Matthew 11:28–29 by Robert M. Solomon. © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon. Used by permission of Discovery House Publishers. All rights reserved.
Related Resources:
Missing the Mission? Disciples in an Age of Abundance.. We are hardwired for consumerism and comfort. Our deepest need, however, can only be satisfied in Jesus, where we ultimately find our identity, security, and peace. So instead of getting comfortable in life and in our church pews, let’s reach out to people with the only “thing” that satisfies—Jesus. Find out more here.
