My hand is sore from writing thank you notes…. not something I’m complaining about. Just wanted to share how thrilled I am because I am over 50% funded for the World Race! Thank you Lord for working faithfully through friends, family, and strangers. You are a great God.
This past month has been a strange one. I’ve been experiencing emptiness at different levels. Not something to be alarmed about. In fact, I’ve been meditating on how thankful I am for this time and season. And as added encouragement, I was reminded in Psalm 42 that I’m not alone.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. v.5
Our God is with us in any season and at every crossroad. Many times it’s hard to believe in his presence, we can begin doubting his sovereignty, grace, and love. In fear we may hide our emptiness, trying to fill the void with anything we can find. It may seem as if nothing on this earth or outside of this earth will ever give the fullness our hearts desire.
If you are in a season of emptiness, don’t lose hope! Our God is faithful and his promises are pure.
Find someone else to focus on rather than the joy/love/fullness you wish to feel: Invite someone to lunch you don’t normally talk to. Meet a stranger. Find a family/child to sponsor for Christmas. Make a cool “essentials” bag for a homeless person. Be intentional with the people you see daily. Pray for someone besides yourself 🙂
Do something different with your time. Don’t fall into routine. Change things up. Be uncomfortable.
Thank the Lord for the place you are in. Ask him to use this time for his glory. Maybe it’s a time of healing, maybe it’s a time of preparation, maybe it’s a time of grieving and letting go so that your hands can be open to receiving an even greater gift…
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him.
Lamentations 3:25
He knows your story.
Need more encouragement?
If You Ever Feel Lonely Read This – Lysa TerKeurst
With Open Hands – Henri Nouwen – beautiful book on prayer
Marriage in light of eternity – You and Me Forever – Francis Chan – not what you expect 🙂
Shannon Ethridge’s website – devotional/blog/books: sexual freedom, living loved
desiringgod.org – great resource of blogs/sermons/books
The book of Job – can be fun to listen to the whole book while stuck in traffic. great theology and wisdom on suffering. My favorite part is 3/4s of the way through when the young wise man comes in (Ch 32) He says some good stuff! Read Job 42:2 for confirmation of God’s awesomeness.
