Emptiness
The word “empty” came to my mind recently. I was feeling the weight from one of those days that seems to carry with it a heaviness that lingered deep in my bones. And yet, even though I felt pulled down, the best way to describe the feeling in my heart was that word - empty.
What a thing it is to feel so dragged down and void at the same time. And yet, even in my tired spirit, that word wouldn’t leave my mind. It was like an itch I couldn’t scratch; my focus narrowed - why now? For such a common word, it was starting to pick at my curiosity. In my mind, I could see the word, but it was as though I was looking at it through a foggy window. It was hazy and unclear, but there was something more to it.
So I took my mental “cloth” and wiped that window, trying to understand. A quick Google search helped me out here:
The Oxford Dictionary defines empty as:
"The state of containing nothing or the quality of lacking meaning or sincerity. The fact or state of containing nothing or of being without the usual appropriate contents."
Synonyms: Barren space, void, vacant, unoccupied, bare, deserted, abandoned, unfilled
I felt the nudge to keep reading...
“Empty: remove all the contents of
| a container left empty of its contents.”
You know that feeling just after a summer storm - when light starts peeking out from behind dark clouds? There’s a peacefulness in the air - a stillness that only comes after the roar of winds and rain. Colors seem a little brighter; the melody of birds singing high up in trees dance with the soft drumming of rain drops falling from leaf to leaf.
When my eyes trailed over that last definition, this feeling flooded my heart. Gone was the heaviness from earlier; God was scooping me up because He had something to share with me.
In His embrace, a new definition came to my mind:
Empty: to remove all of [my] contents (pride, selfishness, bitterness, negativity, etc) | [I am] a container left empty of its contents.
Then I heard His voice: “Your heart has been so full of itself, that I could not reach it because you would not let Me in. You have been keeping it saturated with your selfishness. For Me to dwell within you, you must first empty it. Please let me in, Little One.”
In our human lives, the word "empty" often carries a weight of negativity. It comes alongside feelings of loneliness, lack, or abandonment. We fear emptiness because it signifies a void, a space waiting to be filled with something meaningful. However, when we dive into this idea through the lens of faith, God has MORE for us to see.
To be empty, as God was trying to teach me here, is not to be devoid of value or purpose, but rather to create a space within ourselves for His presence to dwell. It's an invitation to release the burdens and distractions that weigh us down.
Ironically enough, that emptiness I originally felt? It wasn’t actually a void like I thought; instead it was a “too full” feeling that came from fixating on what boils down to me not getting what I wanted in the way I wanted it. Yes there was hurt and sadness, but I wasn’t going to do anything with it. I wanted it to sit inside me because in the moment self-pity felt more tempting, easy and comfortable. Instead what I should have pursued, as one of my favorite quotes from a book I am currently reading called Habits of the Household says, “[Our] concerns are not to be ignored, but rather examined in the light of the reality of God’s Love.”
Emptying ourselves is not about depriving or diminishing who we are, but rather about shedding the layers of ego and selfish desires that obstruct the flow of God's love in our lives. It is a conscious decision to let go of pride, envy, bitterness, and all that hinders the light of the Spirit from shining brightly within us.
He must become greater; I must become less.
John 3:30
Going off of Donna’s wonderful Reach (read it here!) from last week, it also involves bringing to light the very deep parts of us we want to keep hidden and locked away.
In Philippians 2:5-7, we are reminded of the example set forth by Jesus: "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Just as Jesus emptied Himself, we too are called to relinquish our own agendas, desires, and shadows, choosing instead to align our hearts with the will of God. This act of surrender is not a sign of weakness, but of profound strength and humility. For some it may hurt a great deal at first, but that is God ripping up the roots of things that don’t belong in His garden. In YOU.
In this, we create an empty vessel, ready to be filled with the abundant grace and love of God. Psalm 51:10 beautifully captures this truth:
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
When we're all caught up in our own dramas, our own insecurities, there's just no room for God to squeeze in.
The first step is to let go of the “junk” - the negativity, the selfishness, the grudges you've been holding onto. Trust me, your heart will feel lighter already. Then it's time to fill your heart with the good stuff – God stuff. His love, His peace, His wisdom – that's the real treasure. Soak it all in, let it flood every corner of your heart.
He's pretty good at turning messes into masterpieces. I can attest to this as I am one of HIs major work-in-progress projects! So, invite Him, trust Him, and watch as He transforms you into something truly beautiful. If you ever feel like your heart's getting a bit cluttered again, just repeat the process.
It's all about that ongoing journey of emptying and filling, emptying and filling. Let your emptiness be an invitation for God to settle into your heart with His great love.
