“Most men [and women] lead lives of quiet desperation.” This quote by Henry David Thoreau still resonates because we often mask our emptiness with busyness, career achievements, material possessions, or fleeting pleasures, yet our soul still whispers: Is this all there is?
What this might look like:
- You have just been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer,
- You are a single parent with three children and a full-time job, and are just overwhelmed,
- You just learned your son took his own life,
- Trapped in a dead-end job, your bills are piling up, and you wonder if this is all there is to life.
- Your marriage has become toxic; your selfish decisions have broken down trust, and you wonder how you could be so selfish,
- You started drinking to cope with unemployment, and now alcohol is your best friend and worse enemy,
- Your spouse has dementia, you mourn the loss of the person you once knew, and struggle to care for him/her,
- When the pressures of unemployment and illness in your family became too great, you started drinking, and now alcohol is your best friend and worst enemy,
- Approaching retirement age, you have no savings due to bad decisions and wonder how you will live in the coming years, and
- Recently retired, you realize your identity and relationships were tied to your job, leaving an emptiness in your soul.
Do any of these scenarios resonate with you? (They do with me). If so, you are probably finding that life is hard, perhaps really hard. Your pain and suffering are real, and you wonder how (and why) you can continue.
Is there any hope in these terrible situations? Yes, there is. These are GOD-SIZED PROBLEMS, so we must turn to the Lord – the sovereign, living God of the universe for remedy.
First, God does not always deliver us from troubles, but he will strengthen us and be with us through them. “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
Second, we were created in His image with the capacity and desire for RELATIONSHIP – with Him and with other persons. Blaise Pascal declared: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man [and woman] which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”
Third, we were also created for a purpose – a calling to each of us which provides meaning and significance. “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 God invites us to take a great spiritual journey with Him, a journey in which the Holy Spirit calls, equips, and sends us out as His ambassadors to a lost world.
Fourth, we will never realize our purpose and calling without first repenting of our sins, surrendering to the Lord, and receiving Christ as our Savior, thus becoming citizens of the Kingdom of God. But if we reject His invitation, we will be in rebellion against God and bear the consequences of our rebellion now and into eternity, ending in the Lake of Fire.
Fifth, He calls us to be Holy (set apart), rather than Happy, which depends on circumstances. Whether in simple daily tasks or profound life callings, we are invited to live in such a way that reflects the glory of our Lord. ”Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
Sixth, He promises to guide us day by day if we will seek Him with all our heart, mind, and soul: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
In summary, the greatest poverty is the poverty of the soul – a soul devoid of meaning and purpose. Without Jesus Christ, life is often dark, unfulfilling, and empty, absent the peace and joy of the Lord. But with Christ, our restless souls find rest not in possessions or power, but in the presence of the living God. In Him, every breath matters, every act counts, and every moment is filled with divine purpose.
We were made to know God, to walk with Him, and to reflect His love to the world. Far from ending in silence, our lives can become a song of praise that echoes into eternity. So let us go forth with boldness, compassion, and courage to reach the lost, for time is short and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
To God be the glory
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