Do you ever just feel empty? Today I felt empty. Part of me is almost ashamed to say that out loud. There was no real reason that I could place my finger on, life is good! I have a wonderful supportive husband, two beautiful children, I work part time in a career I love, and I just spent the morning having tea with a sweet friend and then attending a wonderful bible study together. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that both of my kids were at school and I had the day to myself? Regardless of the reason, I felt empty and I didn’t like it.
So, as I was feeling empty on this random Wednesday, I did what many other moms of little kids would do with their time alone this afternoon. I walked aimlessly around Target. That wasn’t my intention of course, I was just running in quickly to pick up a prescription for my husband, but the allure of Target won in the end. As I was wandering up and down the aisles looking for the perfect thing to fill the emptiness, (because let’s be honest, that’s what I was doing) I heard a tiny voice in my heart say, “You aren’t going to find what you’re looking for in Target.”
There are so many places we search to fill the emptiness in our lives. Shopping is one of my favorites, but we also look to things such as relationships, successes, money, and jobs to name a few. The funny thing is no matter how many pairs of shoes we have, what designer made our purse, how perfect our spouse is, or what amount of praise we received from our boss at work, if we place our identity and happiness in “things” or other people, we will always feel as though we come up short. As though we are never filled up.
Maybe you feel an emptiness in your heart a lot. Maybe you only feel an emptiness on a random Wednesday afternoon and it takes you by surprise. Maybe you are so busy doing life that you never slow down long enough to feel empty, but you have a fear of what you would feel if you ever slowed down long enough to feel anything other than busy. Can anyone relate to me here?
Life is hard. We are all at different phases in life and in different places in our faith journey and relationship with God, but one thing is for certain, we are all suffering in some way. Our trials are as varied as we are. Maybe you are suffering with feelings of emptiness, troubles with your health, family, relationships, or something completely different. We can easily be deceived, when dealing with these trials, and search for meaning, answers, and fulfillment where it cannot be found.
Let me share some deep wisdom with you today. You are not going to find what you are looking for in Target. My journey to a deeper faith and more intimate relationship with God began many years ago, but it’s just that, a journey. I still falter on a daily basis. The single thing that is helping me to find more joy and less emptiness in life is knowing God. Not just knowing about God, but knowing who he is, how he thinks, how he has responded in the past, and what he says we need to do to truly follow him. Really getting to know him, as you get to know those people in your life whom you love. Having a living breathing relationship with God.
The next time you are feeling empty, I want you to try this… stop what you are doing. Pour out your concerns to the Lord, He wants to hear them! And then, sit back and fill up. Read scripture. Listen to praise music. Receive wise council from a friend in the faith. Whatever you do, get to know God better and fill up on the love that is only found in Christ Jesus. Only then will we ever feel completely full.
Praying that your day is full of the joy and love that only comes from knowing Jesus Christ.