“Running on Empty”
By Calvin and Lisa Wulf
“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36 (NIV)
“I’ll send copies to headquarters tomorrow,” he said, hanging up his office phone.
“Wow,” exclaimed his assistant. “That was brilliant. A few more deals like this and you’ll have it made in the shade.”
“I’m not so sure,” he sighed wistfully chin in hand. “I’m more successful than I ever dreamed. I’ve got a beautiful wife, smart kids, and a huge house. But something’s missing. Sometimes I just feel empty.”
This American paradox plays out every day. We work harder and harder seeking security and happiness. But our possessions and success don’t bring fulfillment. We’ve become an incredibly rich nation. Yet we sense an overarching emptiness. As the songwriter says, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
The hollowness is real. It’s a hole that society tells us to plug with ourselves. Loving ourselves, entertaining ourselves, building successful lives. That’s like a teenager living on a steady diet of French fries. We desperately need God’s spiritual bread, but we’re busy gorging on junk food instead.
God created us to know Him. He fashioned our souls to love Him with all our heart, mind and strength. But our souls hunger till we fill them with Christ.
The Lord is asking us a question. Why do we spend our time and money on things that don’t satisfy us? He’s waiting in the wings, eager to give us food that will delight our souls. Surely it’s more nourishing to feast on His love than to chase after the wind.
Want to swear off your spiritual junk food? Try this:
- How do you invest your time? Make God your first priority.
- Consider your devotional life. Are you truly reaching for God?
- Chow down on the Bible. Let God give you real nourishment.
Why not acknowledge your emptiness? Realize that only God can fill it. It has been said that the soul is restless until it finds its home in Christ. So clean up that empty space and let God move in.
Living for God (TM) offers resources on Christian living. To learn more about workshops and retreats, visit www.livingforgod.net or call (719) 578-8837.
Copyright 2006, Calvin R. Wulf and Lisa Are Wulf
