I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:2, NIV)
Think of the young child in the process of being weaned. The little scrap has a good pair of lungs on him, and he knows how to scream.
David is telling us, “That’s what my soul was like. My soul was in turmoil. It was distraught. It was crying out within me. But I have stilled my soul.” How? Think of a weaned child. The screaming has stopped. The child is at peace. He has found rest beside his mother.
Now how can this happen for us? How can you find rest for a broken heart, a frustrated will, or a hungry imagination? How do you find rest for an unhappy memory or a burdened conscience? How can you still a confused, perplexed, or fearful mind? How do you find rest for your soul?
The whole world is looking for an answer to this question. That’s what drives the relentless pursuit of pleasure in our culture. How can we bring peace to the soul? How can we get the members of our soul to work together in harmony?
No man (or woman) can live happily with a restless soul. That’s why it is possible to have a good job, a happy home, and at the same time, a growing feeling of emptiness.
Have you sensed this kind of restlessness in your own soul?
