The words of the title are the words of the great fourth century Christian, Augustine. The words express something that is so true of humans, yet we sometimes reject that truth or fail to understand why it is that we feel as we do.
As humans, you and I were made in the image of God. Yet, because of sin, that image is lost, and there is a chasm, or barrier between us and our Creator. In the words of Isaiah, “we grope for the wall as blind men” (Isaiah 59), as we live our lives day to day. We are looking for something, and we seek it in so many different ways, and yet, it almost seems we do not even know what we are looking for, or where to look for it!! I am reminded of the song that was popular some time ago, “Lookin for love in all the wrong places.”
But you see, what we are looking for is meaning, purpose, truth, and identity. Our hearts are, and should be restless, until we find our true meaning in life is not to indulge in selfish pleasure seeking. Our meaning and purpose in life as the creation of God, is to glorify Him. And our purpose in life is to realize that amid all the voices that call us, there is a Voice of Truth, and it is that Voice alone that can set us free from ourselves and the bondage that we create for ourselves through our rebellion.
And, our true purpose in life is to discover who we really are. Are we animals evolved from the mud or trees? Are we our own personal god? There is no comfort in that belief! To believe that I am but an accident, that I am not known, that I am not loved, that I am to end in the blackness and nothingness of the grave, is surely one of the most hopeless beliefs in our world!
The truth is that we are loved, in spite of what we do, and in spite of being rebellious. There is a God that has made us to seek Him, and He gave His Son to show us the way to know Him. And that Son proclaimed: Come unto me all you that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your soul.” Here is the rest that Augustine had in mind! Here is the promise, that if we but seek Him, our restless hearts can find rest, true rest.
If your heart is restless, and you are looking for that rest, it is in Christ, and no where else.