7 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty Inside
Snow is sparse on the muddied earth, and I’m not so sure I want to get out of bed and face the day. I should probably find my Bible and look up some Bible verses about feeling empty, but I lack the motivation.
Instead, five simple words scroll across my mind. They’re the words of Leanna Tankersley: “Each day we begin again.”
My soul needs these words today. I need the simple reminder to get out of my bed and begin again. God’s mercies are new every morning. Every time I begin again, I trust in these mercies to fall fresh on me.
7 Bible Verses About Feeling Empty (and How to Get Filled)
Twenty minutes later, I’m drinking black coffee while chickadees flutter around the bird feeder outside. I open my Bible, and I let God’s Word wash over me.
His Word refreshes my soul. I am reminded that I’m not as alone as I sometimes feel.
Bible Verses About Feeling Empty
If you feel empty inside today, I invite you to soak in these Bible verses about feeling empty, too. God wants to speak to you and fill you with life through his living Word.
1. Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
When we feel empty inside, Jesus invites us to draw near to him and find rest.
Are your burdens heavy? Do you feel weighed down by life?
Take a few moments to go to a quiet place and rest in Jesus’ presence. He is with you, and he loves you. Imagine his love washing over you, filling every part of your being.
I often imagine Jesus sitting with me or holding me in his arms, and his presence fills me with peace and rest. He wants to comfort you with his love. Let his presence lead you into his rest.
2. Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
We often feel empty inside when we feel all alone. This promise was for God’s children thousands of years ago. It is also a promise for us today.
God will never leave you or abandon you.
He is with you right now. Ask him to help you become more aware of his presence as he fills you with his peace.
3. Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
When life is tough, God promises to stay with us. He wants to give us strength.
God is upholding you with his right hand. Rest in this truth today. You are not alone.
4. Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These powerful verses teach us that nothing can take God’s love away from us.
You might feel like you’ve disappointed God. Maybe you’ve been ignoring him because you figure he’s disappointed in you or frustrated with you.
On the other hand, perhaps a difficult loss in your life led you to question God. Disappointed and disheartened, maybe you turned away from God. Perhaps you assume he turned away from you, too.
With all the gentleness in my heart, I encourage you to soak in the words of Romans 8:38-39.
Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.
Nothing you do, no matter how horrible and shameful it might feel, can ever take God’s love away from you. He is a good Father, and he has not rejected you. He is looking for you and waiting for you, watching for you and missing you. His arms are open, and the moment you turn toward him, he will run to you and embrace you.
5. Isaiah 66:13
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you . . .
God longs to comfort you in the same way a loving mother comforts her child. Loving mothers hold their children through the long hours of the night. They sing over their children and care for their most vulnerable needs.
God loves you and offers this same comfort. He is waiting for you to turn to him and receive his comfort.
Turning to God for comfort might look like taking a long walk and asking him to fill you with his peace. It might look like lying in your bed and imagining him holding you or listening to worship music and imagining yourself in his glorious presence.
God wants to comfort you today. Ask him to show you what to do as you seek this comfort. He is waiting to show you.
6. John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
We all face trouble in life. Some of us immediately revert to crisis mode when troubles come. We’re caught off-guard and filled with anxiety.
Meanwhile, Jesus promised that we will all have trouble in life. Difficult times aren’t the exception; they are the norm.
Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t speak these words to discourage us. He wants to be our source of peace in life’s troubled times. He invites us to draw near to him and find courage and strength as we remember that he reigns over every authority on earth.
7. Jeremiah 31:3
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
God pursues us with his everlasting love. His love never fails and never runs out. There is nothing you can do to change his love for you.
Right now, he is looking for ways to draw you closer with his kindness.
When you feel alone, consider connecting with God through the three steps below.
Let’s Apply These Bible Verses About Feeling Empty to Our Lives:
Here are several ways to connect with God when you feel empty inside.
1. When you feel empty, connect with God’s created world.
God’s wonder surrounds you. When you feel empty, step out of the stress of your day and connect with the One who made the heavens.
Stand at a window and watch clouds pass by.
Drive down the road and marvel at the sunset.
Take a walk in the woods or take a walk around your yard. Marvel at the Creator’s handiwork. Watch a pine tree bend in the wind or a ladybug walk across a windowsill. Step into the created world and let your cares fall aside.
When I feel empty inside, I go to the woods. I walk slowly and breathe deeply. I talk to God and also listen for his gentle voice.
Most of the time, I don’t return with any startling revelations or have any otherworldly encounters. Yet I always return home feeling lighter and more hopeful, as if something in me has been restored.
2. Ask God to bring to mind someone who needs encouragement.
Proverbs 11:25 teaches that we find refreshment by refreshing others.
Our world is filled with people who desperately need encouragement, hope, and love. When you feel empty and alone, ask God to bring to mind someone who needs encouragement. Ask him to show you a creative way to reach out and love this person.
When you feel empty and alone, ask God to bring to mind someone who needs encouragement. Ask him to show you a creative way to reach out and love this person. #hope #lonely Share on XYou might send a quick text message to check on a friend, drop a card in the mail to a distant loved one, or call an elderly relative.
He might lead you to deliver a meal to a neighbor or check in with a friend who has been struggling.
Step out and share God’s love with someone else, and he will lift your head in the process.
3. When you feel alone, actively respond to God’s pursuit.
Did you know that God is pursuing you? You are reading these words today because God loves you relentlessly and wants to be close to you. He is inviting you to respond to his pursuit today.
Ask him to show you what it would look like to respond to him. He might lead you to one of the two steps above, or he might inspire you with a different idea.
Perhaps you sense God leading you to turn on worship music and pour your heart out to him in prayer, tearfully releasing the emotions you’ve been burying for far too long.
Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve worshipped with others in a church setting. Do you sense a tug on your heart, inviting you to return to collective worship?
Maybe you feel led to memorize one of the verses listed above or paint it on a canvas.
You might sense God nudging you to reach out to a trustworthy friend and ask for help or be honest with a loved one about how you’re doing.
I encourage you to follow God wherever you sense he is leading. We aren’t meant to navigate life alone. God wants to surround you with his love. He will do this by pouring his love upon you in a supernatural way. He will also fill you with love by leading you to people who will be his hands and feet.
Dear friend, God wants to meet with you when you feel empty inside.
As you move forward, remember this: You are never alone and never forgotten.
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Notes: Begin Again: The Brave Practice of Releasing Hurt and Receiving Rest by Leanna Tankersley
