There must have been times when you have felt frustrated, looking for something that you have mislaid. Even when you try to distract your mind with something else, back it comes. Then, you have another search and become increasingly frustrated until, at last, you find what you are looking for.

Have you ever considered the meaning of life, and the purpose of it all? I am sure that this is true of us all, especially in the loss of a loved one, the estrangement of a friend, or some unexpected circumstance. For a while, we are troubled and believe that we should do something about it. Nevertheless, life goes on and we are distracted for a while with something or other. At the same time, however, there remains that little nagging feeling in the back of our minds. Sometimes, when we are awake at night, memories crowd into our anxious minds. Eventually, we fall asleep; morning comes and the events of a new day eclipse the concerns of the waking hours of the night.

There are times when we consider the being of God, who we are, what the purpose of life is and what happens after death. These thoughts do not leave us, but constantly recur. Indeed, the thoughts become increasingly persistent if God is working in your heart, and your trouble intensifies. At first, you do not want to share the concern with anyone else, as it would be too embarrassing to talk about such things in such pagan days.

As time goes on, you become more serious, perhaps intermittently at first, yet a quest for God has begun. You are being drawn to seek the secret of life and the meaning of the hereafter. This is God at work. Meanwhile, in the quest for satisfaction of heart and soul, you will probably try many avenues of comfort, of which there is an astonishing variety. Nothing seems to satisfy, but by now you are very aware that you have a soul and this soul cannot age, because it is immortal. It just cannot die. An issue then arises: what will be its destination?

This is the only way that I can describe it - it is as if as we are looking for a lost chord without which every tune is ruined. Many years ago, I remember sharing my spiritual need with my brother and telling him that I felt like a piano with the middle C missing, which spoilt everything. Many friends reassured me, pointing out my virtues and telling me that I was a good, religious person who led a moral life etc. They meant well, but it did not satisfy my longing heart, desperately looking for reality.

It is at such times that God begins to show us that He is there and that His guiding hand is touching our lives. Things begin to happen when we meet people who tell us of their search for God, how they were found of Him, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and how they found peace with God. At first, we show some interest, but at the same time we feel rather offended. Indeed, it is not unusual for us to defend ourselves, despite the fact that we increasingly feel our need. It is not easy to accept the words of the Bible that say, ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’ (Rom 3:23). These words strike home until eventually we recognise their truth, for we are now coming face to face with the fact of the holiness of God

As the message continues, it tells us that God has planned a way to help sinners. Slowly, the reality dawns on us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He came to this world for a great purpose. You will have heard of His Cross, for it is there that the innocent Son of God is punished for our sin, that we might be covered in His forgiveness and His clean life.

What shall we do then? We must seek for Him with all our hearts. In some remarkable way, He gives us the ability to repent and to turn away from our sin; He gives us the gift of faith in order that we might believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s it: we then have peace with God, a place in Heaven and the search is over. At last, we have found what we were looking for. Dear troubled seeker, do not be satisfied until you have found satisfaction for your soul and peace in your heart. ‘Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near’ (Isaiah 55:6).