Chapters 57 through 59 contain a litany of complaints against God’s people and among the earliest is that they do not think the way God does.
One of the oldest most effective arguments against the existence of God is the presence of Evil. Why do the righteous suffer? Why do they perish? We find it difficult to cope with the injustice of it all. But looking from God’s perspective, the righteous perish so they will not suffer his retribution against the unrighteous. That’s the way chapter 57 begins.
It continues listing the activities of man to find purpose and satisfaction – the sexual immorality, worldly spiritualism, materialism. Wearied by all these ways, there was no stopping to ask: “Does this make sense?” Instead, there was always something new to chase, and more emptiness to experience. There is, truly, no rest for those who choose to live without God.
On the other hand, having worn yourself out with futile quests for a fulfilled soul, God says: “turn to me.” He makes His home with the “lowly in Spirit.” Jesus calls them the “poor in spirit,” those who realize that all they have, all they are, and all they ever will be is exhausted and impoverished without God. Those who turn to Him will find restoration, comfort, healing and peace.
The journey toward wholeness does not end with the mind, but it must begin there: to think the way God does.