Searching Wholeheartedly

The brain works better, faster and more efficiently when there are limited distractions during a search.

During my recent scientific research on Searching: How the Brain Finds What You’re looking for, I found that searching becomes more difficult and tasking when there are detracting objects around the object of target. In the scientific experiment, a printed page full of letter p’s in blue ink and just one letter b in red ink, it would be pretty easy to find the red b, right? However, what if half of the p’s were blue and half were red? In the latter scenario, there are much more complex distracters, making finding the target (the red letter b) more challenging. The result of the research, when properly analysed, stated that in general, the reaction time needed to do a visual or mental search increases as more distracters are added. When more distracters are present, it makes finding the target more difficult. (Think of the example with the red letter “p” target and letter “b” distracters that became more distracting when they changed from all blue to half red, but keeping that letter “p” is just one colour, it is much more searchable and easy to find.)

This is the exact situation with us having to focus on too many things at a time and we are still in search for God. Prophet Jeremiah had an encounter with God and he was told to deliver a message of hope to the house of Israel and Judah who have been carried captives to Babylon. “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). As Christians, God has given us a ray of light, hope and grace, even in captivity but with a condition. The condition is for us to search for Him with the whole of our heart.  According to the above scientific research on brain and searching recently conducted by the Scientific American, the longest continuously published scientific magazine in the United States, the brain works better, faster and more efficiently when there are limited distractions during a search.

Jesus came specifically to live and die for us in order for us to have life and he is the only way, the truth and the life. Anyone who decides to search for Him will surely have life and life in abundance. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6).

Begin a Fresh Search Now

It does not matter what has happened in your past or the magnitude of your extravagant life…Similar to the prodigal son? What matters to Jesus is you and your heart, searching for Him, and Him alone. With the great deliverance God gave to the Israelites from Egypt, they erred and defaulted so many times, seeking after other gods and forsaking the Almighty God, but He chose to be merciful towards them. His love and covenant remain permanent with us, His people.

“And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants…” (Jeremiah 33:19-22).

Where to Search!

This truth is known to the devil, and that is the reason he throws many distracters at you to get you confused, distracted and makes it extremely difficult to for you to see Jesus, because in Him you can find all things. Without Jesus, there is limit to what you can achieve on your own. “…for without me, you can do nothing…” (John 15:5). Jesus wants to be situated at the centre of your life, and this will surely reveal Who He is to you. Commit to studying His words and your search will not be delayed.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8).