“Come to me…” Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
What does it mean to “come” to Jesus? David talked to his own soul about this: “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone” (Psa. 62:5). David does not just believe. He is doing something. He is bringing his soul to God. He wants to press beyond the theory, and this is where we can encounter problems.
Meet John. John was brought to church when he was young, and he’s always believed in Jesus. He believes Jesus died for his sins and rose again on the third day.
John is a successful businessman who attends church, but he lacks spiritual motivation. What’s going on in John’s soul? Imagination is pursuing the American dream. Heart was never engaged, so Will is unmotivated. John has a divided soul. Mind believes, but the rest of the Board was never persuaded, so they see John’s faith as merely intellectual.
Meet Mary. A number of students in Mary’s youth group were baptized and gave their testimonies, but this never happened for Mary. Then one summer at camp, Mary just knew God was real. She could feel His love, so she made a commitment and told her friends.
That was twenty years ago. Now God seems far away, and Mary wonders what happened that night. What’s going on in Mary’s soul? Her heart came to Christ, but Mind wasn’t engaged. Mary has a divided soul. Heart says, “It’s real.” Mind says, “I don’t think so.” Before long Heart will give in because the heart can’t embrace what the mind won’t believe.
Many of us think we’ve come to Jesus, but the soul never reached a unanimous decision. There is no rest because the Board is divided and therefore cannot act. Moses said: “Turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut. 30:10).
Do you have a divided soul?
