Empty & Desperate

There have been times in my life when these two words would describe what I felt. I have been wounded deeply or feel like my world is crashing down around me. It’s a helpless feeling and I remember grasping for something to hold on to that will stop the tail spin that it feels like I’m in.  It’s times like this that remind me of the Rock on which I stand. God is my anchor in rough waters and I may feel empty and desperate, but with Him, I’m neither.  Check this out….

 The teaching of the Lord has stopped,


and the prophets do not have


    visions from the Lord.

My eyes have no more tears,


    and I am sick to my stomach.


I feel empty inside…

What can I say about you, Jerusalem?


    What can I compare you to?


What can I say you are like?


    How can I comfort you, Jerusalem?


Your ruin is as deep as the sea.


    No one can heal you.

The people cry out to the Lord.


    Wall of Jerusalem,
let your tears flow


    like a river day and night.


Do not stop or let your eyes rest.

Get up, cry out in the night,


    even as the night begins.


Pour out your heart like water


    in prayer to the Lord.


Lift up your hands in prayer to him


    for the life of your children… (Lamentations 2:9b,11a,13,18-19a NCV)

This whole book of the Bible is Jeremiah pouring out his intense grief and sorry for what has happened to his country and his city. He is in a tough dark spot because the things he spoke on behalf of the Lord came true. He lived in the middle of some of his own prophetic word from the Lord.

There are times when the Lord blesses us with amnesia regarding the tough stuff we’ve been through and there are times when we can remember and we’re reminded of how He walked with us through those tough times. I was thinking just yesterday about what a crazy ride I was on just a year ago, watching one of my children battle against cancer and pushing thorough tough chemo treatments and the struggle from that. I was remembering the life-threatening surgery and the long recovery. It’s hard to even put into words the darkness and despair of those struggles, but the Lord NEVER left or turned His back. His Presence was so obvious in so many ways.

I learned that no matter how deep and dark the struggle, He is Faithful in His Presence and He Never gets tired and weary of holding on to me! I can defeat “empty and desperate” places by holding on to Him!

Pressing On!

Dwayne