The Fullness in Empty

"Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment."

Job 15:31

Depression and anxiety may leave you feeling a sense of emptiness. Empty is defined by: containing nothing; not filled or occupied. This feeling, while real, is not true. As you feel this way, it may lead to the challenging cycle of symptoms leading to more symptoms. This is one of the struggles that some experience on a daily routine. So what changes this cycle? What stops it? It could be a simple shift in perspective to help alter this distorted thinking. You may begin to realize that while this feeling of "empty" is occurring, it clearly is not true. Job 15:31 "Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment." I mean there is a lot of "stuff" in you. You may start to look at the figurative "stuff" that fills you. Imagine the blood flowing through your body. The air making its way to your lungs and then back out. The thoughts, whether good or bad, exist. The beating of your heart in your chest. You truly are filled with "stuff." So where does this feeling of emptiness come from? A perceptive of something that is missing? A perceptive of something that should be there?

God took emptiness, and created the universe. In Genesis chapter 1. Here it is as a reminder:

The Creation of the World

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.  And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,and for days and years,  and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day."

Depression and anxiety. They are real experiences. They are valid in their forms. But they are not always truthful. They are not always honest. This feeling of emptiness; that comes as a form of depression and anxiety is real. It is a byproduct of depression specifically. This byproduct though, does not have to be the answer. As you look at the first two sentences in the Bible: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep." This is emptiness. But God took this and created more. He took the ultimate emptiness and filled it with His creation. He filled it with you. If He can take the greatest emptiness known, in fact the true only emptiness in existence, how can you accept that He can not take your feeling of emptiness, and fill it too? This feeling is real. But it is not the answer. He is the answer. As He filled the spaces of the darkness of the universe, and the formlessness and void of the earth, He can take you and fill you. He can form you out of this and create wonders. And He will each time that emptiness occurs. Because you are also told in the Bible that the world will not be without tribulations. John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” But in Him, there is hope and there is peace, and there is a future.

While these tribulations of depression and anxiety will come and go, they are part of this world. Not part of Him. The feeling of emptiness is too, part of this world. Not part of Him. He fills this void with unconditional love and longing. Love and longing for you.

Scripture:

Job 15:31

Genesis 1:1-14

John 16:33

Reflection:

What causes you to feel empty?

What do you fill this emptiness with currently?

What would it look like to fill this emptiness with Him?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I come to You in an awareness of emptiness and seek that You fill this with Your love, and Your desire for a relationship with me. I pray that others may fill their emptiness with Your existence. Lord I pray for those who are experiencing depression and anxiety. I pray that they may be strong to overcome the byproducts that are not truthful or honest to them. I pray that they find truth in Your son Jesus, who is the light, the truth, and the way to You. I pray that they find honesty in their feelings, that they can overcome the emptiness to find how valuable, worthy, amazing, and love they each are, through you. Lord I pray this and those prayers on the hearts of the readers in Your son's name. Amen.