It is time for a deep evaluation.

Please, do not just glance at your heart and move forward to read my flawed words.

What are you searching for?

I am about to talk about the value of Christ… and because of His great value I am going to do Him an injustice as words cannot fully describe His value, they are so limited and He is not. I am going to try my best, but please know that even what I do know about the all-sufficient value of Christ does not even scratch the surface of how valuable Jesus and glorious Jesus is.

I don’t tremble when I go to speak to Him because I cannot fully grasp the sheer power and privilege that His blood has secured for me – I can speak to the one who can shut up the sky with a command and holds the universe in place… and He wants to talk to me? Why am I not on my face every time I go to Him?

How can I ask Him for things or ever succumb to discontent when He has given all of Himself to me? And how can I read the word looking exclusively for how I can live a better life when His word is proclaiming the unlimited beauty of Jesus?

We are limited and He is not. So remember that as you read, sometimes you have to accept the truth without feeling and wait for the Holy Spirit to flood you with it. Have you ever been overwhelmed with positive feelings of peace? Or love? It sounds so paradoxical but I believe it is something that God gives at times when we go the extra mile to seek Him exclusively. But I am getting off-topic…

What are you searching for?

What is that one thing you are chasing? You’ll have your answer when you look at how you spend one of your most valuable resources – time. You’ll have even more insight when you look into what you are pursuing when you compromise on your values.

I chase after love.

I have looked to my parents for fulfillment. They did (and do) and wonderful job of loving me… it wasn’t enough.

I looked to be loved by women. It wasn’t enough and I came out hurt from that.

I looked to be loved by friends. You can never satisfy people.

I looked to love myself… which turned me into a monster.

Today, I love my wife and my daughter and look to their love. They are fantastic! And even then that need is not met in them.

Jesus is the only one who offers the love that satisfies. Who else never fails? Who else can perfectly look past our selfishness to not withdraw when we have used them? Who else is fully attentive at all times and never overwhelmed with worry or simply too busy for you? Who else is able to hear your pain and empathize with it? Who else has found the balance of being stern to help you and gentle to be there for you?

Nobody else! Jesus is the ultimate treasure.

I chase after rest.

To this day, I jump onto the “performance treadmill.”

I seek practical application to living a good life often, not to please Jesus, but in the hopes that if I do everything well, maybe things will get easier.

Around the time I started this challenge, I found myself saying, I am so tired.

I look at how my body language comes off to people and the best way to keep people’s attention when I teach. What do you talk about if you want other people to find you interesting? What questions do you ask so that people can talk about themselves and not find you to be so boring?

I even go through the motions of my spiritual disciplines hoping that if I do it right maybe God will like me more and maybe if I pray right He will also give me the financial stability to really rest in.

I think sometimes I do what I perceive is good to hopefully rest in the feeling that I have done enough to balance out the evil I have done.

But that’s not the reality of Jesus, and so I was tired.

Jesus has secured rest for me.

Do I have to chase after Jesus’ love? Nope. My pursuit of knowledge about Him through the word, prayer, and obedience only refines my understanding of the “right now” reality of His love for me.

His word (not an audible voice) has told me time after time, “Joshua, there is no more need to earn this.”

He’s saying the same thing to you – believer in Christ.

You and I have also entered into a caring providence, so will you be okay financially? 

You can guarantee that you will have everything that you need when you need it (this can look different than our desires, but it is still true).

The fact of the matter is, we could be kicked out onto the streets tomorrow, bankrupt, and we would still be okay with Jesus sovereignly guiding everything.

Stop earning, stop running to find security. You have it.

And almost paradoxically, when I am resting in the fact that Jesus is my rest… this makes me run more and harder than before with the pursuit of excellence in everything but with a new drive and a new fuel that I am even feeling right now.

What is that fuel? God is amazing. He’s with me. That’s all I need… and He’s worthy of glory. And He has freed me from every other pursuit (in more ways than I have described here) to focus on that alone.

And even if I fail at that, He turns my mess into success. He glorifies Himself. It is true today what He said in John 12 when Jesus cried out, “Father, glorify Your name.” His voice thundered, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again!”

You can rest in your imperfection… and that changes you.

What are you searching for?

Purpose? Jesus gives us the ultimate purpose. Want to save souls and battle demons? Glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Wealth? Pursue riches in eternity, by pursuing Jesus now.

Peace? Let go of performance and seek Jesus’ face in the confidence in the forgiveness He has given.

At the same time, I want to throw in another question to challenge you. 

How would you feel if everybody you cared about only spent time with you because you had something to offer them?

What if your spouse (or future spouse) only wanted you because they were lonely and you were the only option?

Jesus is worth the pursuit without the benefits. He is the Creator, Savior, Lord, and perfect.

When you read the word today, just ask one question, “what great thing about God do I see in this passage?”

But yet again, do not let go of this question, have an honest answer by the end of the day, 

What are you searching for?

Perhaps go further to answer how Jesus actually fulfills that need. I hope you find rest in the conclusion.