On the week of July 4th, my husband and I went to South Carolina with some of our friends from church to visit Pretty Place Chapel. The first thing we saw before we walked through the entrance was a sign: “May a sense of the presence of God fill the soul of everyone who visits this sacred spot.” I was immediately touched, and even more excited to be there visiting the space, taking in the scenery, and enjoying the good company.
As I walked down the steps that led us to the famous views of the chapel, I looked around and saw how many people were there. Some were taking pictures of the scene, some were taking selfies with their families and loved ones, some were reading the scriptures and quotes found on each of the pillars and some were sitting - taking in the wonder of it all. Their ages ranged, their genders ranged - and yet they were all there for one thing: to behold. Now, of course, we aren’t sure what drove them to visit that day, but whether they went to see the huge cross overseeing the beautiful view or not, they ended their visit beholding the wonder of what the signage said the place was: a sacred spot.
As I sat down next to my husband in silence for a few moments, I started thinking about how as humans, we have all been in a place where something was missing. We’ve felt it in the core of our very being and have asked “What is it?” hoping to find the answer. The human desire to want more, to feel more satisfied, more happy, and more full of life is something I believe God has placed inside of us on purpose. As our Father, He desires we choose Him above all, trusting that the rest could follow (Psalms 37:4).
But, what happens when we don’t know what that “something missing” could be?
For most of my life, I felt like I had to uphold a certain image, and what I did not realize was that upholding that image would lead me to eventually living a life of lies. 50% of me was busy portraying who I felt my friends, family, and church community should see - while the 50% was busy trying to overcome the struggles and hardship of abuse, trauma, promiscuity, and more. I was torn between the two - and so there was never much progress. It was a cycle of trying to fix things myself - and not facing the fact that something was missing. In 2022 - I got engaged and decided I would no longer walk into the future in a lie. Something was missing - and for me, I had to accept Jesus all over again as my Lord and Savior, die to my flesh, and make some very difficult decisions that today, have produced good fruit. It took some time, but by 2022 I realized that the lines had blurred: I placed Jesus in the same category as I placed man. I upheld an image with Jesus that of course, as God, He knew wasn’t real. But God is so good - He always opens His arms to us and I was embraced - now, I lack nothing.
I have been asking the Lord to use my story - even though I may transparently wince at the ugly parts of it. Shame does that - but what God is doing is bigger - and I won’t let the enemy silence me or blind me again. My prayer for this community and the fruit of my life is to point people towards that “something missing” and I pray you feel encouraged to do the same.
Jesus is the answer to your “something missing".
When you feel alone - Jesus is the answer.
When the abuse of drugs and alcohol doesn’t fill your voids - Jesus is the answer.
When you’re battling with your mental health - Jesus is the answer.
When you continue to give away parts of your body to him or her and you STILL don’t feel loved - Jesus is the answer.
When the money doesn’t satisfy - Jesus is the answer.
When you have made your husband or wife the center of what fills you, and you still feel disappointed - Jesus is the answer.
When you think speaking ill of others will make you feel better about yourself, and all it does is continue the cycle of toxicity in your life - Jesus is the answer.
When the diagnosis comes back and it’s not what you thought it was going to be - Jesus is the answer.
Your “something missing” is Jesus.
Matthew 16:25 - “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Matthew Henry shares: “We must follow Jesus this way, because it is the only way that we will ever find life. It sounds strange to say, “You will never live until you first walk to your death with Jesus,” but that is the idea. You can’t gain resurrection life without dying first. You don’t lose a seed when you plant it, though it seems dead and buried. Instead, you set the seed free to be what it was always intended to be.”
Psalms 36:9 - “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”
It will not be easy when you decide to surrender to your “something missing” - Jesus. You will lose people - go read John 15:18-25 and you’ll see what I mean. You will lose family, you will lose friends - but you will gain a new family, and new friends who are rooting for you to be FULL of REAL life - and abundance. Not the temporary pleasures (we can’t even call them joys because they’re dead things!) of this world. Your "yes" will lead you to never question what is missing again and will lead you to as Paul says, “share in its blessings”.
1 Corinthians 9:23 - “I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
I pray that we have the boldness to share that the “something missing” is Jesus today with whoever we need to share it with.
Who will you tell the good news to?
