Restlessness

“The wicked are like the tossing sea, for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud. ‘There is no peace,’
says my God, ‘for the wicked.'” – Isaiah 57:20-21 NASB

A restless heart is a common condition now as in the past. St. Augustine, writing in 397 AD, declared his conviction that “our heart is restless until it rests in You.” We become restless because we cannot find peace as we are separated from God and not in harmony with Him.

God told Isaiah that we may accumulate things and experiences. But none of these things can bring peace. These pursuits become like “the tossing sea.” The Bible used a word usually translated as drive out, often with violence. The Bible is describing a violent sea, making us uncomfortable.

This violent restlessness is a curse for the ungodly. The real problem is the root condition of their lives. They may try to cover up these foundational issues but do not have peace in their hearts. They are like the water that casts up “refuse and mud,” churning up sediment and muddying situations that had been clear.

Believers, too, can experience this restlessness. This may happen when we are not in harmony with God. Perhaps we are out of His will, or He is trying to speak to us.

Today, remember the words of Jesus: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you” (John 14:27). You cannot get this peace from anything or anyone else in the world. Serving and knowing Him are the ways to find real peace and freedom from restlessness.

Reflection Question: Is your heart restless? Write a prayer asking God to fill you with His peace.