Feeling restless or empty inside may be discomforting. However, it often indicates we’re positioned for a breakthrough, for a new reality of God’s grace and truth! Discomfort arouses our curiosity. So, we search for the meaning of things, for truth about issues. But confusion often brings uncertainty. We try to gain knowledge. We try to find things that satisfy us or people we can identify with. We try to settle our emotions. But we remain skeptical. And the feeling of emptiness persists because there are gaps inside that long to be filled.
So, we try to fill the gaps. We can get involved with social activities. We can try some things that appear spiritual. But there are many voices, and they will bring confusion and more uncertainty. What we need is a real encounter with our Creator and Heavenly Father, God. He sent His Son, Jesus to reveal Him. And Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Spirit of truth to fill us, to fill our inner gaps, heal our broken heart, bring real freedom of soul and give us spiritual vision to see a greater life God intended.
GOD SHIFTS OUR FOCUS TO SET ON A PATH TOWARDS FULFILLMENT
Allowing Jesus to reshape our desires and change our heart is a beautiful thing. His intention is to satisfy us with the grace and beauty of His presence. That’s why He fills us with His greatest grace gift, the Holy Spirit, His presence inside us, the Spirit of truth.
Then our appetite changes. We crave things that satisfy our inner longings and hungry soul. We discover spiritual realities, things that are beyond the physical world we live in but are real. That’s how God prepares us to be strengthened in faith. He shows us we can believe in Him and trust Him.
Jesus shows us He is our real and good shepherd. He reveals the beauty and glory of God’s amazing grace and truth. David describes Him in a beautiful way. As we identify with Him, we discover the reality of His presence. We find a path to purpose and fulfillment. We find out why we were created. We discover we have a destiny.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(Psalm 23)
FINDING YOUR PLACE IN GOD’S GRACE
God may ask you to step away from what’s familiar. But He is faithful to comfort you even when it doesn’t make sense. Because His ways are not our ways, but higher. And His thoughts are thoughts but higher. His ways are filled with grace and truth. Yes, He asks us to take risks. Because that’s what faith is about. Faith sees beyond. Faith brings hope. Faith makes the intangible tangible. Faith gives us evidence inside to believe things we may not see but know are real and true. It brings hope that turns to joy. And that gives us strength to move forward and press on towards our Father God’s upward call and greater purposes.
Your heart and mind may wrestle but your inner spirit will come to agreement with God. Our Heavenly Father created us that way. We were created to refuse to compromise with that which doesn’t bring real fulfillment. As we agree with God by His grace through faith, we gain strength to refuse to bow to the pressures of our culture.
So, let God be God. Receive more grace and more truth! His Word will prove to be truth. His Spirit will fill your inner cravings. Allow yourself to lose interest in the things that used to grab your attention. Let His Word and Spirit be a magnet drawing you closer to Him, out of certain conversations, out of old spaces. Let Him bring a new normal to your life.
Yes, it will cost you. It may cost you friends. It may cost you comfort. It may cost the approval of those you used to hang with. But we can’t trade our higher calling for what may bring temporal comfort. We can’t trade our purpose. We need to pursue our destiny.
MOVING FORWARD IN GOD’S GRACE AND TRUTH
Don’t worry about people’s rejection. Follow God’s redirection. Appreciate His divine reroutes. Appreciate His peace.
As you are willing to take risks of faith, the Holy Spirit inside will strengthen your courage. God’s grace will carry you because it is grounded in truth. God’s grace will bring you along side people who will walk with you down the journey, down the path that leads to God’s greater life, a life He calls life “more abundantly.”