When it comes to describing the human heart, the Bible says that our old nature heart has a major problem, for we read in (Jeremiah 17:9): “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” And because of the fall, man’s heart is so deceitful and wicked that it can’t even seek after God on its own, nor does it want to. Is it any wonder that since we suppress the truth about God that the unregenerate man lives continually in a state of restlessness.
Augustine wisely commented: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.”1 To this Charles Colson added: “Knowing that we are fulfilling God’s purpose is the only thing that gives rest to the restless human heart.”2
The reason why the non-Christian is so often restless is because he doesn’t anchor himself to the only One who can give lasting meaning to life – Jesus Christ! You see we are all wired to have a spiritual connection to God. Without a genuine relationship with Jesus this most fundamental longing of the human heart will never be met and as a result restlessness will always prevail.
Another longing of the human heart is expressed beautifully in (Ecclesiastes 3:11): “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Everyone longs for immortality but without knowing Jesus he can have no assurance of living eternally. So the restlessness continues. Sadly, humanity will always have a restless heart because it doesn’t have the capability to connect with its Maker. Only a new transformed heart, which a believer in Christ gets at salvation, can finally bring rest to a weary soul.
Thankfully, when we place our faith and trust in Jesus we can connect with the One who gives ultimate purpose to our lives, the One who will give rest to our weary souls, the One who gives us peace and abundant joy, and the One who promises us that we will spend eternity with Him. All of these things our restless hearts can only find through Jesus Christ and the new heart He gives to all those who place their faith in Him. My friends all of us are born with a spiritual vacuum that only Jesus Christ can fill.
Christian, if you are in need of rest then may I suggest you let these words of Jesus bring you the comfort you are seeking: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).
1 Quote by Augustine of Hippo: “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our …”
2 Charles Colson quote: Knowing that we are fulfilling God’s purpose is the only…