In Those Empty Moments

Those moments in life when you just need….something.  Maybe you are feeling lonely and long for close friendships. Maybe you don’t feel as beautiful as those around you. Sometimes those moments are full of grieving over a loss of a loved one. You can feel less than happy with your current lifestyle or struggling with parenting, marriage, or family relationship issues. Sometimes those moments are merely boredom. Bored with doing the same thing in life.

I’ve had those moments. You’ve had those moments.

We all turn to something when we are lonely, depressed, grieving, or angry. For some of us, it’s food. Food can be a great companion and comforter. Just a bite here or there and before we know it, we are constantly turning to food to “fill” what is empty inside of us. For some of us, we turn to the Internet or television. We tune out and just mindlessly escape into a world that accepts us and loves us just as we are. There are other escapes too – alcohol, drugs, cutting. Some people like to stay busy so that they don’t have to think or feel. Others sleep it away. After all, dreams can be preferable to the real thing sometimes!

We all long to be filled. To feel full.

I find it interesting that in those empty, private moments in life – that we often fail to turn to the thing that will fill us up and satisfy us the most. God.

Opening the Bible can seem dreadfully boring. Listening to Christian music – mundane. Or kneeling down in prayer can seem like a waste of time. Yet it’s not.

If I can stop and have a conversation with the Lord, He can give me the strength I need to not indulge in that fried or sugary food. He can help me bite my tongue instead of lashing out on an innocent loved one and He can help me grasp peace and forgiveness in a heart that would otherwise reach for anger and bitterness.  In the quiet (or loud chaos) of my home, God can hold me up and hold me together. He can love on me in a personal way that no one else can. He can send me the most perfect song that brings tears falling from my eyes in gentle submission to His prodding. He can realign my priorities through His word in a way that makes me feel like it was my idea. He’s good and He’s good TO me.

Those empty moments in our lives will come. We will hurt. We will sigh and we will long for things and people. But nothing will fulfill our hearts or desires like Him. We just need to give Him a try.