I am in that empty place as well. I feel in turmoil. My insides are like a milk shake that is in a blender. I know He is out there and that is always holding me. I know we go through good and bad seasons as He says we will. Some days I really need to work hard to find Him, but it is always woth it.

So true! It is easier to cling to God in the harder seasons of our life. I am in the midst of a tremendous negative circumstance and know firsthand that God alone is my strength. Not because I'm having positve thoughts like that but because as you said I am hard-wired that way. He is faithful. Thank you for the message of hope that I will not stay in this "empty" place.

Unlike most people who have taken sides with Carla, i cling to God most when things are going excellent and well for me because during such times, i know He is there, He does care a lot about me and yeah, am right there in the palm of His hands! However, during hard times, i feel like He has left me and though i try hard, it usually gets hard for me to communicate right with Him. Thoughts like He is forgotten all about me usually keep ringing in my mind. And please do not get me wrong, yeah i do pray, actually harder but it at times doesn't feel right with me. However i always remind me my self about some of His promises like 'He will never leave us nor forsake us' and this keeps me going.

I was actually just thinking about this topic earlier this week during my daily evening walk. I came to know my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ personally, three years ago and I find such comfort in talking to Him and praying to Him and I have the sense that I am like the 3-year-old, the 7-year-old and the 11-year-old at different times. The comparison that popped into my mind on my walk was that I sometimes view God and use Him as my "security blanket". I not only want Him to be in every second of my day, every thought of my day, and every aspect of my daily life, but throughout the day when I get involved and something and focused on a task I suddenly realize that I have not though about Him in, say, half and hour and so I pray and meditate on Him just to remind myself more than anything that He is still there.

So True! We all need to know that God promises to NEVER leave us or forsake us.

The beginning of this piece was like an entry out of my own journal a couple months ago. I was at that place of feeling that I had nothing left emotionally or physically or mentally and that life's demands just kept pulling and pulling at me. I wanted to just curl up in a corner and hide. I just wanted to scream at the world and all the people that seemed to be grabbing at me, "Get away! Can't you see I don't have anything left?" I was irritable and shut down and really tired. Even little things seemed like so much effort. I knew God was there and pretty much just said, "I can't do this. I have nothing. Any strength I have must come from You because I know I don't have any." I prayed that He would show me how to get through what I was experiencing.

It is true that we don't stay in those places forever, though. I'd been at that place before but this seemed worse. It was so overwhelming and didn't just let up after a few days. At the time, I was afraid I just wouldn't come out of it this time. There were people around me who cared and helped me access the resources I needed to get back to being more myself. God provided several areas of help for which I am truly greatful.

I'm now facing a different circumstance that is even more painful, but I don't feel that complete exhaustion about everything now. I'm so glad I at least got through that before this because it would have been so much more difficult to handle what is happening now still feeling that depleted. I know God sustained me through that time and that He will get me through this difficult time, as well. I always wind up being more resillient than I think I will be through the measure of grace He gives me for each circumstance. What I'm dealing with now is a specific grief and different, though no less challenging. God knows how much I am struggling, and I am very honest with Him about my feelings. I am also very thankful for certain aspects of my life, though, and am really focussing on speaking Scripture to myself in terms of God's promises and what I know to be true. God has brought me meaningful activities to be engaged in and I focus a lot on being as fully present as possible in the moment. I have to trust God for later.

I appreciate the point here that the Psalms are full of both pain and praise. We can praise in times of pain as well as in times when life is going along smoothly or in those beautiful times of joy and happiness. I can praise and be thankful even when I am feeling frustrated that God did not intervene in certain ways.

As was stated here, I don't want to go to God just when I feel like I "need" to. I want to have fellowship with him like the kind He sought with Adam and Eve where He would walk with them and spend time. I don't want God to only hear from me when I need something. I want to be able to always be aware of His presence and to remember that "every good and perfect gift" is from Him, as James said.

It's really true... it's easier to call upon the Lord when things are rough.

For 3 years, the Lord has led us to our "wilderness" where comfort is nil and life is toilsome. We've been hopping from one place to another for survival. We stayed on the street for almost 6 months commulatively (in different areas), since we didn't have a place to stay. We almost beg for food for survival. Though my husband is talented and experienced in his craft but still the doors of oppurtunity is closed, so no work is available to sustain us...

We lived on a daily basis according God's daily and meager provision... but these experiences thought us to be strong in faith and seek the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. The God who brought Israel to the Land of Promise...

As true to His Words... God did deliver us from that situation.

All the while I thought I was strong in faith, Loyal to God, devotion is a priority, help is always willing to extend and most of all because of all the troubles that we went through... after all those purification stage... I thought I was holy...

I always say to my self... "after all those troubles... now i can say that I am already FULL!"... not until I saw the "BREAD"...

Comfort in life if not viewed as a means or vehicle to reach God and to do his tasks comfortably, would even lead you to complacency.

Poverty brought me near to God but I was surprised that "comfort" is something to overcome...

I cried to the Lord because of this. I was so sorry as He opened my eyes that "comfort" needed to be won over to Christ otherwise it will win you over to itself and it would be too late before you realize that you've been far from God already.

God would certainly overcome our "wilderness" but he also gives this command... "When you are full and satisfied, do not forget the Lord."

It's easy to foget the Lord when things are well...

So this was my Prayer and still is...

That the Lord would rebuke me whenever I'm turning away from Him. To tap me on the shoulder and remind me that I'm falling of. So that I could return and be healed.

It is safe to ask the Lord to hold us than for us to hold him... because we are not sure how long can we hold his hands but if God would hold our hands, He will certainly not gonna let go.

Whoever call upon the name of the Lord will never be put to shame! Praise God.

I feel in that empty place for the past while through all turmoil that has happen in my life but I know through all that He is faithfully holding on to me .Sometimes you wonder how could He stay there for us when we have a hard time to hang on to His faith ,but I know I will come through in the long run.God is Good

I pray hard when I want to feel God's presence, I just ask to be closer to him. Then I study a little more prayer, and give a little more thanks for the everyday things, and soon things are right between me and God again. I'm divorced, and Jesus is the only man in my life and that's good enough for me!

I too have been feeling empty the last week or so but not really empty but like feeling down and out and want to get out of it. But I do believe that God is right there with me and that kept me comforted and now when I received this message I felt real comfort and inspired as this is what I was trying to express and did not know how. I do not ever want to say I feel empty as the Holy Spirit lives in me and how can I feel empty. I continue to reach out to God when I feel low and lonely. Thank you for your inspiration and sharing.

I don't ever feel "god's" so-called presence because he doesn't exist, it is all in your mind. Your own personal mental illness.

So true, I absolutely share your sentiments Carla. In every season of my life I want to be as close to God as ever, when I'm having a very good season I would like to give all praise and honor to God for what He is doing in my life just for the love of it. It is so awesome to know that God is with me all the time and acknowledge Him always.

Thank you all for your comments - I have found them on a day that I really needed some encouragement. I find I also tend to 'remember' God's presence when things are going well but feel forgotten when they are not. I am also in one of those places right now where I feel overwhelmed and feel like going to a corner to hide. Don't know what it is but just feel the burden is way to heavy right now. Right now my best weapons against the enemy of doubt and fear are 2 other women in my small group from our church. They are truly there as "sisters" and we hold each other up whenever needed. They are truly a blessing to me and I feel like this is exactly what God wants for us as a church!

I also feel God is in my presence because I am going thru health issues, because of some dumb decisions and when I feel like I'm about to feel something negative I hear his voice thru a dove near my room and he tells me I am with you. Every morning when he wakes me up to pray he, he also consouls me when I feel non appreciated he fills me with his love he caresses me when I need him, tears fall I know he is with me. I have fallen in love with my Lord I am his Bride awaiting his arrival. When I worship him in church it's like a breath of fresh air, and holy spirit fills my whole being he is so awesome. I have such a tremendous Testimony that it take a whole night to testify one day I will express it. Since the day I was conceived he has a purpose for me and I thank the Lord because my mom was the one who raised me in the Lord, I have back-slided a few times, but the Lord was always there to pick me up, his love and mercy and he is always faithful to his servants. My Ministry is as a caregiver to my mom, the Lord had a prepared me since I was in NYC and now I praise him with all that I've got because he saved my life and soul. The truth is I am his forever in good times and bad in trials in tests, he has me I'm in LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

It seems that I have tumbled onto this blog at such a perfect moment. I was thinking about just this thing today. Things haven't been going so well, and I realized I haven't been praying. Not that things will be perfect when I pray, but when I pray, I am more aware of God working and not trying to do everything in my own strength. So, today, suddenly everything was going so well, and I can only praise God for giving me clarity to see His work.

God is so good.

I want to thank all those who posted words of truth and of encouragement. I am feeling alone, without energy or positivity, but I know that God is our hope. The Psalms are great for reading out loud because they are full of praise and emotion, real and raw, that flows out to God. God wants to hear our sighs and cries because He is our Father. He doesn't want us to shut him out and go off to our room, like a teen, to feel self-pity and be all alone. We may need to be alone and listen and thank Him and then wait for Him to respond to us through the Bible or through people or through another vehicle (like this online chat). He is faithful. He hears us. He cares. Sometimes He is silent...but so often we let our feelings get in the way
I was reading something from an old devo book (Every Day with Jesus) and I realized that what I need, what all believers need is to become so rooted in Him that we can go through a real dry spell and still flourish. I want to be so dependent on Him that I do not need to feel 24/7 love and encouragement and acceptance from others. Knowing that I am his, fully loved and fully accepted, should, in theory, be enough...but I still struggle with this. My hope is that I can find that He is enough when the world lets me down....God is good and God sees every tear and wants us to come out of the trouble/pain/loneliness ....stronger and more resilient. Keep trusting God. Keep believing and keep talking to God. He is always there!!!

The Lord is Good all the time!!!!!!!!!

I know it was God that I found this sight and this blog today. I am normally a very upbeat positive person but lately I have been feeling very emotional. Carla's words spoke right to me, almost exactly how I have been feeling. The worst part is I was feeling guilty about feeling this way knowing others have it much worse than I do and knowing that God is always there and will see us through. I know I need to mature in Christ but the words I read here today were him letting me know that he is listening and that I am not alone.

here is a song a wrote resently.

The desert place

Have now realised and come to cherish those times we spend together
In the darkness of nights n tears filled nights
When my world was treambling down all around me, n did not understand what was happeining to me
I cried out in despair to u

You were there all alone, with every tear that fall, every fear n dought, u bear with me

You draw me to this desert place, where all i could see was the barren land
There was nothing i could do or hold on to, except your word
I made one forward move on my own, n was drawn a 1000 step back
Till i realised you were all that i need here in the desert place.

To stay still n listen, to your still small voice. As u whisper to, n make known your love, grace, peace and plans for my life
As you touch and prepare me for your work, that which i was destined for

At the end i learnt to wait on u, to hear your voice and trust in you alone
For u to lead and direct my path
All in the desert place, where you drawn me to
A place wher all i could see was the barren land.

God blessings

abena ghana

Wow!!!..I was amazed at what I read...and I understand...like Paul..I have done without and I have experience outstanding times...but I think...this does not require as simple answer. What I will say..it sometimes we are seeking happiness and not ah..actually God....sometimes we have to go by to the drawing board and have God help us reexamine our belief system...

I thank God that he makes His thoughts and counsel accessible to us through people who have put their trust in him [fellowship]. I also stumbled on this site on a perfect time.

I have not been feeling well lately. Just going through a bloody spiritual battle and wondered if God has left me alone. But I read all these testimonies and look back at my own life and Know in My heart that He Lives and He is much bigger than any circumstances we might be facing.

God talks about a lot of tests in the Bible and He warns us that this Life is full of trials and tribulations so that when these things happen in our lives we don't turn to Him and say..He left us. But in my own life I have seen that..when we come out of these circumstances we come out as better people and would have experiences and testimonies that will equip us to comfort others.

Thank you all so much for the messages and please pray for me that I would come out of this one stronger and better.