EVALUATE REST


The late American author Irving Kristol, known as the godfather of neoconservatism said, "Being frustrated is disagreeable, but the real disasters of life begin when you get what you want."

This is because what you want — or what you think you want — is so often not what you really need in order to live a fulfilled and meaningful life. There will come a time when you will realize that the trinket you worked so hard to acquire, or even the goal you sacrificed so much to reach, doesn't bring the satisfaction you expected it would. It is then you then find yourself asking, as so many have, "Is that all there is? Is this as good as it gets?"

The goals you set for yourself will always have a place in your life. The accumulating of possessions will always be part of the human experience, but you will serve yourself best the sooner you understand that these things will never be enough. They will never bring real contentment or happiness. You serve yourself best when you rest in divine confidence, as Augstine said, “Our hearts are restless, until they rest in thee.”

Be honest, where are you seeking your rest today? In a paycheck? In a relationship? In a status symbol? In a measure of success? These things may not be the enemy — they're not bad in and of themselves — but it's important that you understand that they're not the finish line, either. If your heart is restless, take a moment to re-evaluate what you really want. Try to say, as David said, in Psalm 62:1, “I am at rest in God alone.”

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