Rest and Peace in God Alone
by Bob Gaudi
“My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him.” –Psalm 62:1
As I grow older in my “golden years” (the basis of that term is quite interesting), I find myself increasingly dismayed at what I see happening around me. I am particularly troubled by what appears to be a cultural shift in values. Rather than focusing on God, family, relationships, honesty, compassion, love of and service to God and others—and simply doing the right thing—we seem to be in a period of deteriorating ethical and moral standards. The values just mentioned (plus many others) are becoming less important over time.
Instead, we seem to be fixated on self, instant gratification, conspicuous consumption, searching for acceptance, accumulating “likes” and gaining as many followers as we can possibly garner on social media. We are living in a time where God has to compete with countless idols. We are seeking the wrong things, and when we do that, we find the wrong things. We continually pursue what can never provide fulfillment, personal satisfaction, and genuine peace. While idols (anything we substitute for God) may offer some instant gratification and even temporary joy, those feelings never last.
Recently, I came across a statement by the late Dr. Charles E. Stanley that reads “Nothing adequately fills the place in our lives that God has reserved for Himself.” Reading those words, I was instantly taken by that simple truth. As stated above, pursuing anything other than God only results in temporary satisfaction. Only God can fill the void that exists in our hearts without Him. To fill that void, we must earnestly seek Him. Jeremiah 9:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
What is ‘seeking the Lord,’ and how do we do that? Seeking the Lord in its simplest form is a search for understanding of who God is. As we begin to understand and appreciate the grandeur of our Heavenly Father and His love for us, we grow closer to Him. Continuing a quest of genuinely seeking the Lord will eventually lead to total commitment to Him. That commitment requires total repentance, obedience, love, and service to Him. Just as Jesus gave His life for us, we must give our hearts to Him. He will own our hearts and all that we are. Surrendering to the Lord allows Him to fill our lives and defines the purpose of our existence: to bring glory to Him.
That, my friends, is seeking the Lord with all your heart. Find Him, and you will be filled with His presence, providing a wholeness only He can provide. There you will find true rest, peace, joy, and a completeness unavailable anywhere else. Once you truly seek Him, you will never stop seeking Him. That’s a blessing ONLY HE can provide.
Heavenly Father, soften our hearts and lead us through Your Spirit in seeking You and all that You are. Help us to sense Your presence in our lives and give us the courage to follow where the Spirit leads us. Fill our hearts and allow us to grasp the magnificence of Your being and the perfect Father that You are. Amen.