More to Life than 'Everything' in Life

Just like many of us who live in rented houses, we periodically keep shifting. When we moved about ten years ago, I found a new friend in Lalitha. She was my next-door neighbor. We quickly became very close.

Lalitha’s husband worked as a manager in a leading factory in Bangalore. She had a beautiful and intelligent daughter who was in her teens. They owned the spacious, comfortable home they lived in and had all the gadgets they could ask for. I wondered what more could she ask for? However Lalitha lacked satisfaction. She would say to me, “Monica, you are not married, your parents are old, you live in a rented house, but you are always happy. What is your secret?” I would always reply – living a good Christian life, with Jesus as my helper and guide, caring for others and loving everyone is the secret of my happiness.

I soon learned that on four earlier occasions Lalitha had attempted suicide but was rescued in time. She tried hanging, overdose of sleeping tablets and burning herself with kerosene and petrol. One day, Lalitha came home looking very sad. A visit to the doctor confirmed what she had recently discovered. A lump in her breast was malignant and had spread to the bone. Lalitha was beyond comfort! The one thought that kept nagging her mind was – when I had good health, I tried to take my life, but now I want to live – She desperately wanted to live.

At least till her daughter was old enough to be get married. Or at least till her husband retired because he needed her so much. It was too late. Sadly in spite of the best treatments, she succumbed to her illness, leaving her loved ones sad and lonely. There are many people like Lalitha. They might have all that they need materially but still lack… Saint Augustine said, “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee.” And Blaise Pascal said, “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” Many a times we want many things and forget the life that God has given us. We seek fulfillment in cars, houses, latest gadgets, etc. The result is, we become more weary and restless. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” (Mat 11:28 NIV).

This is true even for believers. We take our life for granted. In spite of experiencing the love of God, we begin to shift our focus off God and get into all kinds of mess only to find stress, unhappiness and weariness. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,”(NIV). No wonder the Hymn writer wrote, “…when you look at others with their lands and gold, think that Christ has promised His wealth untold…” The next time we go through these experiences we need to ask ourselves three important questions such as: Is my focus fully on Jesus, the perfecter of my faith? Am I seeking fulfillment in the fullness that comes only from Jesus? Have I allowed Jesus full control of my life and thereby fill me fully? Every time your answer is a ‘No’ to any of these questions, it would not lead to a life of fulfillment.

Then pray :Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me for shifting my focus off you, help me seek you irrespective of what the situation maybe. Help me have the rest and fulfillment that is available in you alone. AMEN.