“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
In the fourth century a man by the name of Augustine was being raised by his godly mother, Monica. But as soon as he was able, Augustine left home and threw himself into a reckless life.
Augustine says in his Confessions, “I was in love with love, and I hated safety.” He left the safety of a praying mother. He hated it. He wanted to live on the edge. He followed the passion in his own heart, but soon found that he was a slave to these passions.
His mother kept praying for him and years later he came to Christ. It was Augustine who said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” Augustine knew this from his own experience, and we know it too. The human heart is full of longings. We want to be loved. We want to succeed. We want to be happy.
The prevailing desires of our hearts are different. One person wants love above all else, another wants revenge. One wants to be independent; another would do anything to avoid being alone. One wants to be where the action is; another wants to get out of the rat race and enjoy some peace and quiet. One is desperate for security; another is tired of security and wants to take a risk. That’s where Augustine was when he said that he hated safety.
The longings that drive the human heart differ, but all of us are moved by the desires of our hearts. Our hearts are restless! That is why we live with constant questions.
Do you have a restless heart? Are you asking any of these questions: Am I a good mother? Can I do this? Does anybody care about me? What should I do next?