I recently ran across an interesting article that went like this:
‘Missing’ Woman Mystery Solved
A group of tourists spent hours Saturday night looking for a missing woman near Iceland’s Eldgja canyon, only to find her among the search party.
The group was traveling through Iceland on a tour bus and stopped near a volcanic canyon. Soon, there was word of a missing passenger. The woman, who had changed clothes, didn’t recognize the description of herself, and joined in the search.
But the search was called off at about 3 a.m., when it became clear the missing woman was, in fact, accounted for and searching for herself. –QMI Agency
I actually read the story twice because it seemed so absurd. How in the world would someone not know it was them everyone was looking for after just a few minutes? I thought about bus trips I’ve taken with students and how we count every time we board the bus – who was in charge of counting for crying out loud?
As I sat and pondered the scene I imagined the tension, fear, and chaos that was likely present as everyone searched. It would be my assumption being part of a search party on your vacation would be a bit of a downer as well. I continued to think about the events taking place in this short article when I suddenly saw myself in the story. After all, my life before being born again wasn’t much different than what unfolded above. I was searching, but had no idea of the real identity of who I needed to find.
For many years I was enticed by the glitz and glamor of this world. I could have renamed the familiar country lyrics to “Looking for peace in all the wrong places.” I searched for happiness, but never found true joy. I pursued who I wanted to be, rather than seeking who I was created to be. When something didn’t quench the desire for pleasure, I switched paths and looked to the next thing to find delight in. Yet, each trail led to the same dead end of emptiness and disappointment.
Thankfully I found my true peace and joy when I completely surrendered everything to Jesus. After my life changed, the material items I had once sought after didn’t seem as important and the life I had set out to make suddenly wasn’t even attractive anymore. While some from my past may feel I live with less, the truth is I have so much more than I ever imagined possible. No, not material things, but simply knowing my every need will be provided for always, peace in my heart no matter what life throws my way, and pure joy in knowing that I serve the Savior of the entire world and He calls me His child! When words or ill actions are tossed at me by others, I feel a barrier of protection surrounding me. And perhaps best of all, when I’m lonely, sad, or full of excitement, I have a friend who I can talk with at all times.
You see the story above is about all of us at one point in our life. We wander around this earth trying to find contentment, but we fail to see we won’t find it without knowing the real identity of our Heavenly Father. Sadly, this story is still true for those who are not in Christ. For many, life is a constant act of seeking, but never finding. The work is exhausting and often times life circumstances continues to erode around them only to lead to more disappointment. There are many who are still searching and it’s up to us, God’s Search Party, to help point them to Him.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
Becky Ossefoort