Come unto me all ye that labor and 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 ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus gave us some clues about what noise in the soul sounds like in Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus said to them all, "Come unto me, all ye that labor." The word labor means "to grow weary, to be beaten out." The root word means to take a beating. Most of us identify with that. We have at times felt overwhelmed as if we were in a hurricane with the winds pounding unceasingly against our souls. It is to us in those times that Jesus says, "Come to Me; I can help people like that."
The words heavy laden mean burdened down like a ship loaded with cargo. We all know what it is like to feel that we cannot take the pressure any longer; we feel as though we are about to go under. Again, Jesus says, "Come to Me; I can help people like that." What a wonderful invitation He extends to us! He wants us to come to Him; He wants to help!
I want you to take an inventory of the noises in your soul--the things that rob you of rest and peace......
Are there sounds of anxiety and fear in your soul?
Anxious thoughts are thoughts of worry....
thoughts of vulnerability and uncertainty.
Are there sounds of discouragement and despair in your soul?
These are thoughts of hopelessness.
Are there sounds of anger and frustration in your soul?
Anger is generally fueled by frustration, hurt, or fear.
Are there sounds of bitterness or hatred in your soul?
These are thoughts of injustice, mistreatment, and unfairness.
Sometimes these are thoughts of contempt or revenge.
Are there sounds of lust or greed in your soul?
You create noise in your soul when you plan to get the pleasure you want and then plan its cover-up.
Are there sounds of guilt and shame in your soul?
Anytime you practice the kinds of thoughts we have been discussing above, you will generate thoughts of guilt and shame
because God never intended you to think that way.
He has marvelous provisions for us to deal with these matters.
Are there sounds of possessions and positions in your soul?
Our souls can get very busy with the daily responsibilities....
Are there sounds of obsessions and addictions in your soul?
Are there sounds of entertainment and recreation in your soul?
These are sounds of movies and TV programs, of music and news, of sports and electronic games, of travels and adventures.
As you can see, the collective noise from all these thoughts is deafening! How different these scenes are from the way the Master wants His disciples to handle life. Jesus had much to do on the earth, but His soul wasn't noisy. He wasn't irritated....
Here is what Jesus told His disciples--and us--in John 14:27 just before He left the scene and put them in charge of propagating His teachings:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
This is instructive to us. Are you trying to get peace the same way the world tries to get it?.....But the Master says, "Not as the world giveth, give I unto you."
All this self-imposed agitation--all this noise--is a sign of spiritual dysfunction and sinful responses. God-centered souls are not noisy. God-centered souls are at rest.
Excerpted from God is More Than Enough by Jim Berg. Learn more at Dr. Berg's Quieting a Noisy Soul website.
