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Have you ever felt empty, really empty? It is as if you are reaching for God and He is not there

You go to church and will yourself to feel His presence but feels nothing.

You read the bible and pray, but it feels like you are only going through the motion. You know in your heart that you are not connecting with God, something is not right, but you feel almost powerless to change it...Were you really born again or are you faking it?

It hurts really bad, it is continuous, you cannot explain it to people because it is not a physical pain. You are unable to point to a spot where it hurts but you know it is real. On the outside everything is fine, only your very close friends can tell that something is wrong.

You have tried fasting and praying,but the closeness and the intimacy you once had with God is no longer there. Can you ever regain it, how much longer is your Christian walk going to feel so empty?

Usually this happens when we had some expectations from God that did not materialise the way we had hoped it would ,or we are going through a really trying time, and God is just not responding the way we expected. We are disappointed with God, but are not sure how to express it. To admit that we are disappointed with God would seem like blasphemy, so we internalise the disappointment, but slowly pull away from intimacy with God. If we do not face the truth we will wake up one day and realise that there is just emptiness...

David felt some of what we are talking about, in the Psalms he asked the Lord to "restore unto him the JOY of his salvation"

Facts:

David was still a child of God

He did not lose his desire for God

He was not feeling the continuous ever comforting presence of God...

This presence gives us joy. It allows us to have hope in the midst of trying situations, it steers our focus back to God and not on the trying situations we are going through.

Did God move away; is He concerned with the desires and the plight of His children? No, God is always near to us.... He is concerned with every aspect of our lives. When things are great, or when all hell is breaking loose God is still near to us. He cares and His desire is for us to come through these situations better people.

When we lose focus of whom God is and base our affection on the way He answers our prayers we miss the blessing that comes from trusting God completely. Disappointment is a real emotion, but it should not cloud the fact that God knows what He is doing. Joy comes from an inner peace, one that says in the midst of turmoil "worry not God is in control"

David was constantly bombarded by his enemies, they attacked from every side. This could have resulted in him losing sight of the fact that God is in control, and hence lost the joy of his salvation.

At this time of great emptiness, focus on the giver of your peace: Almighty God.

You must believe these things:

God is not here to kill your joy

He has not, and never will leave you nor forsake you

He gets no pleasure from your unhappiness, or period of pain

It may sound like a clich, but every word of it is true" for I know my plans for you says the Lord... plans to prosper you , to give you a hope and a future"

If this thing you are expecting from God is dear to you, continue to pray, despite the trials you are facing continue to trust God. Be completely honest with Him about your feelings, and allow Him to heal the emptiness you are now feeling. Nothing should take your joy away. It is really a refreshing feeling to be intimate with God.

Learn more about this author, Andrea Montack.
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