When we allow the focus of our life to shift from Jesus, it is easy to begin to feel the emptiness; this will lead to anger or even bitter feelings towards a child, spouse, or our closest friend if they remain firmly affixed on Jesus while we allow something else to take His place in our heart. I’ve shared this verse several times – No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24) and it still rings true in our time. When we try to have a foundation that is not totally focused on Jesus, we will be building on an unsteady foundation. Over time, our entire being will become torn between a sincere desire to follow after Jesus or to forsake the faith and to follow after the world. While this battle rages within our heart, our lives become empty; the battle more tiresome, and our faith will begin to waver until we make a choice. The struggle for our heart will cause us to lose interest in the things that matter the most to us – family, friends, hobbies, and our favorite activities begin to lose their appeal as the battle for lordship in our lives manifests itself.
For years, I had an empty life. I didn’t grow up in a Christian household, we didn’t go to church every Sunday, and eventually, in 1988, I became tied up in an emotional experience that left me feeling empty. I tried all kinds of things to fill the emptiness – marriages which would ultimately fail, jobs that would only give a temporary feeling of purpose, and even my involvement in church was spotty. Once I did finally accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, I was determined to build upon my faith in Jesus Christ as my only foundation. I will admit, there are times I still am enticed and distracted by other things, including various ministries, employment opportunities, and such, but these distractions don’t hold my focus for long. If you feel you have an empty life, first ask yourself are you truly a born-again believer in Jesus. If you simply do not know, are unsure, or even doubt your salvation, then reach out to God with your whole heart, seek His forgiveness, and accept Jesus as your only Lord and Savior. If you are born-again, but still have an empty life, what are you doing to become more Christ centered? Ridding yourself of the emptiness is not about anything other than giving complete Lordship of your life to Jesus.
