Even believers feel spiritually empty at times—whether because of recurrent sin, neglecting our relationship with God and others, or facing difficult circumstances. Regular Bible reading, prayer, repentance from sin, fellowship with believers, and attending to our physical health can help us overcome spiritual emptiness.
The Bible teaches that even believers feel spiritually empty at times. Scripture identifies some causes as failure to immerse ourselves in God’s Word, recurrent sin, and neglecting our relationship with God and other believers. Many of the Psalms convey how God’s Word provides spiritual fulfillment (Psalm 19:7–10; 81:10; 119:103–105). Getting away from God’s Word may lead to sin, which Scripture identifies as another cause of spiritual emptiness; sin separates believers from the Lord. The Old Testament demonstrates this through the many times God allowed Israel’s enemies to overtake His people because they had fallen into recurrent sin (Judges 2:11–15; 1 Samuel 4:10–11; 2 Kings 17:6–20). Sinning against God damaged their relationship with him (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2; Hosea 5:6). The New Testament reinforces these causes of spiritual emptiness. It depicts God’s Word as valuable to our spiritual health (Matthew 4:4; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 2:2). The Bible also teaches believers to confess sin and repent of it in order to repair our relationship with God (Ephesians 4:18). Fellowshipping with other believers can reinforce our faith and strengthen us spiritually (Acts 2:42–47; Hebrews 10:24–25). The Bible shows that God has provided all we need to combat spiritual emptiness.
Driving down the road can be relaxing—until you hear the ding of the gas light and notice the gauge on “E.” The unease doesn’t let up until you find a gas station and get some gas. Spiritual emptiness is much more worrisome, but the solutions are within reach as well. All believers go through periods when we don’t feel the joy in the Lord that we know we should. But God has given us the means to stay spiritually fulfilled. When you’re feeling spiritually empty, assess your spiritual disciplines. Create habits that are spiritually fulfilling. Read and meditate on God’s Word regularly. Pray, praising God and confessing any sin in your life. Make going to church a priority, so you can fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters. And don’t neglect the temple of the Holy Spirit; taking care of your physical health can also impact your spiritual health (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). God has provided all we need to combat spiritual emptiness.