What is wrong with us? For some reason we choose to journey through life on our own, without the Lord, and bounce from one sin or train wreck to another looking for that escape from the turbulence of life. Maybe this turbulence involves a relationship, a divorce, an affair, loss of a child, pride, lust, nonforgiveness or even religion; maybe its alcoholism, a drug addiction, depression, an eating disorder, or a chronic illness where a cure seems hopeless. Whatever is at the center of your turbulence, be assured you are not alone. We must come to an understanding that no matter how desperate our circumstances are we can find our answers and our hope in Jesus. Jesus healed the paralytic despite his obvious doubt and despite the fact that he didn’t even know who Jesus was. I don’t know what you are going through or why. I don’t know the plans God has for you, but reach out to Him.

Jesus brings to us a peace that we all search for and yearn for, a hope that we all long for and the wonder of His message that He speaks to us through His word is that He understands the realities of life, how it feels. The good and the bad.

Life is tough! Many of escape the realities of life through drugs, alcohol, stuff, career, affairs, divorce, [fill in the blank] in the hopes of numbing the pain. The solution that Jesus brings to the realities of life is not to escape or to move into a place of numbness where we never feel again, but to allow Him bring to our circumstances the beginning of new things.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. –Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)

I am learning on this journey that what our soul is searching for can never be satisfied with the things this world has to offer. Our soul is searching for the God who created us.

He restores suffering to joy, despair to hope and our desperate longings with love. How do I know? …He did it for me!

Let me ask some questions here…

Have you been trying to satisfy the longing of your soul with stuff?

Have you convinced yourself that someone will fill the void, hoping that human love will be enough?

Or that the things you can buy will somehow make you happy or that your career, success or fame will give you fulfillment you are looking for?

Have you found that these things still leave you empty?

God steps into human history to take our suffering upon Himself. The scriptures tell us that Jesus took upon Himself the suffering for all humanity and suffered on our behalf so that through death and suffering on the cross that we might find life in Him.

Talk about the solution human suffering and the realities of life!

Have you come the place where your soul cries out, “Jesus I am tired of living this life alone! I need You!”

May you find life in Jesus!