Tag Archives: disheartened

(The Everlasting Way) Our Deepest Longings Filled

October 31, 2025 robuck4@aol.com 4 Comments

‘Uncle!’

Disillusioned, hopes crushed, my fragile world was crumbling around me. What I thought would bring lasting happiness left me disheartened, disappointed and empty. I wasn’t suicidal, but I felt like giving up. In fact, if I’d known where to go to ‘cry uncle,’ [1] I would have.

This describes several “low” points in my life. Maybe you’ve felt this way before.

I see now how I’d set my affections on God’s benefits rather than on God himself. Sometimes I still do.

I feel miserable during these times. But looking back, I see these very hard times as severe mercies, [2] each playing a part in further dislodging a destructive, disillusioning lie – Circumstantial happiness can bring lasting joy

Our God Shaped Void

In the 1600s, Bliase Pascal wrote that only an infinite, immutable object can fill man’s cravings for true happiness.

His point was that man tries in vain to fill this need for lasting satisfaction with everything around him, when in fact only God Himself can give us what we so passionately desire. What Pascal was describing came to be known as our God-shaped void. [3]

Solomon, known as the wisest man who ever lived, concluded that God has set eternity in the hearts of men. [4]

Deep within every human lies an unquenchable longing for someone eternal: God Himself.

Some have the means to try filling this void with all manner of worldly ‘pleasantries.’ However, when the temporal luster wears off, emptiness returns.

When the temporal happiness of each ‘conquest’ fades, folks set their sights on something more. But the story repeats itself, and despair grows.

Someone asked John D. Rockefeller, “How much money is enough?” He replied, “Just a little bit more.”

Others with fewer resources might hope their whole lives for riches or fame. However, never achieving them, they die chasing a dream which would have never satisfied them anyway.

Unless awakened, we keep on searching and endlessly hoping the next big thing will finally satisfy our longing souls.

Awakened

God told Abram what we need to know right this moment.

Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward (Genesis 15:1b (NIV))

GOD HIMSELF is our GREAT REWARD. He fills the eternal void in our souls.

God Himself is the only one who can give us the deep JOY our hearts long for.

David discovered that the pinnacle of JOY is found only in being with God.

In Your presence is fullness of joy; (Psalm 16:11b).

The Joy of God exudes from every sunset, every flower, every breath.

I’m to draw near to God and His creation and stop trying to make happiness happen. I’m to take time to celebrate each moment God gives me.

After all, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I’m indwelt by His Holy Spirit. His creation is all around me and He is in me.

Consider what Jesus said:

I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger and he who believes in me will never thirst (John 6:35).

As His disciples, we need not hunger or thirst. He Himself is the eternal bread that deeply satisfies our souls.

Freshly baked bread.

If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’ (John 7:37b-38).

The Holy Spirit within us refreshes our weary, thirsty souls with rivers of living water.

Cool, crisp Living Water as from a mountain stream.

Prayer

Lord, I’m sorry for all I’ve chased after to try to satisfy the deep longings of my heart. Satisfaction can’t come from success because I’ve failed. It can’t come from pleasure because it quickly fades. It can’t come from people because they disappoint. It can’t come from trying to live a good life because I can’t.

You’ve given me so many things to enjoy: sunsets, puppies, flowers, ocean breezes, people I love, tea olives, chocolate, coffee, beaches and mountain streams. You are the Creator of it all. You alone are my Highest Joy. Only with You are other pleasures fully enjoyed.

Apart from You, other pleasures can become addictions and idols. But with You, all moment by moment pleasures can erupt into praise for who You are and all You’ve provided for me to enjoy.

I delight in You, Lord, above all else. Please guard my heart.

Amen

Reflections

Even though I’m increasingly aware that God Himself is my source of eternal Joy, I sometimes forget and join the world in seeking my fulfillment from what God has created and not in God Himself.

What I’ve realized is that we have to know there are forces at work to hide the fact that God Himself is our Highest Joy.

The world, enforced by Satan’s lies, can keep us pursuing fleeting pleasures even though we know how empty they are.

It is a moment-by-moment battle to think true thoughts and to keep our hearts centered on God for our fulfillment.

Paul warns us of what is going on behind the scenes to try to keep us from the knowledge of God. But he also reassures us that we have powerful weapons at our disposal to fight and destroy the lies of the enemy.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:3-5).

In speaking and dwelling on God’s truth our weapons are divinely powerful to destroy the strongholds of the enemy designed to hide the knowledge of God from us. Our job is to disagree with the lies and not allow them to be a part of us by agreeing with them.

For example, a lie might be that this or that ungodly act will bring the lasting fulfillment we so desperately need. And even though we know from experience that this lie is not true, our enemies’ ways are cunning and luring. We have a fight on our hands.

We must capture and unmask lies like these, thought by thought, to reveal them for the hideous deceptions that they are. Only in Jesus Christ will we find the lasting satisfaction, fulfillment and the joy we were created to experience.

You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound (Psalm 4:7).

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995 version of the Bible. The featured picture was generated by AI.

Continue reading (The Everlasting Way) Our Deepest Longings Filled →

God is our Reward, The Goodness of God

(In the Moments) What is Good?

June 23, 2024 robuck4@aol.com 2 Comments

I’m on our back porch enjoying the breeze of a chilly spring morning. The flowers are blooming, the trees are just beginning to bud and the grass is greening. I’m soaking in the spender of “now”. A few birds visit our feeder suspended above the wooded path to our barn. A steady flow of cascading water from our fountain forms the background rhythm for their melodious songs.

I rest in the goodness of God. When I’m present with Him, the troubles of my life are out of view. Because He’s good, I’m good.

However, when I remember my present difficulties, if I’m not careful, they can suck the good right out of me.

Psalm 73 tells a story of a man who’s dealing with a crisis of belief. Things are not going well and he really doesn’t know what to do.

When the Psalm opens up, Asaph is in a bad way. He doesn’t like his circumstances. He’s come close to stumbling and almost slips. He feels as if he’s wasted his time keeping his heart pure. He feels stricken all day long and chastened every morning.

To add to his unrest, envy has crept in. He sees wicked people who are prideful and arrogant, yet they seem to be doing fine. They’re not in trouble or plagued. They prosper and are even fat, which was considered a good thing back then.

Asaph feels embittered and pierced within, yet he makes a wise choice. He brings his confused mindset honestly before God.

When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
¹⁷Until I came into the sanctuary of God … (Psalm 73:16-17a NASB).

This is the key to what happens next. No matter what our state, no matter how badly we’ve screwed up, no matter how angry we are at God, we should follow Asaph’s example and enter God’s sanctuary.

God is always ready to hear where we are and the honest condition of our hearts. He can handle whatever we want to dish out. The worst thing we can do is shy away from Him because of shame, guilt or disappointment.

As Asaph talks to God, his heart begins to shift. Though his feelings haven’t changed, he sees the end of those who don’t follow God. Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction (Psalm 73:17b-18 NASB).

Then in verses 23 and 24, a dramatic turn occurs. Talking to God he says, Nevertheless, I am continually with You. You have taken hold of my right hand and with Your council will guide me, and afterwards receive me to glory.

Whatever pit we find ourselves in right this moment, whatever evidence we see around us that life is not good, we can repeat Asaph’s words above in sincerity to God, releasing our lives into His care.

How reassuring! This truth can completely change our perspective as well.

It did for Asaph. See what he wrote next in verse 25.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And beside you I desire nothing on earth.

By bringing his concerns to God, even his complaints, the Lord performed a 180 degree shift in Asaph’s heart.

Let’s recognize, as Asaph did, that goodness is not in how our lives are going. Goodness is in God’s nearness. God is always with us and He is always good, no matter what goes on in our lives.

Asaph ended his Psalm with bedrock truth we can build our lives around.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good (Psalm 73:28a NASB).

Challenge:

What circumstance threatens your sense of well-being this very moment? In other words, what has to be right in your life for you to be okay: a thriving marriage, prospering children, successful career, etc. All these good things can never replace the fact that we are good because God is good. Place the Lord above all things. He is worthy. He is trustworthy. He is good.

Prayer:

Lord, I’m sorry I often slip back into seeking my “okayness” from the circumstances of this world. I’ve asked You to help me to surrender more and more of my life to You. You’re answering this prayer, often with trials I would have never asked for. But, through it all I’m good because You are good and You are near.

Thank You.

With all my love, Amen.

Other posts in our series In The Moments:

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.

Robby Buck

Nonfiction books by the Author:

Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.

For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy

Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.

Photo by Ben Chappell

What’s so Important about Joy?

October 11, 2018 robuck4@aol.com Leave a comment

Lately, I’ve heard a lot about joy. Scripture is full of verses on it and its many derivatives. And what’s not to like about feeling joyous? It seems to touch a deep longing, leaving us craving more. Were we designed to need it and seek it? Will we keep searching for it until we find it, or die trying?

King Solomon recognized his own deep emptiness, though he was the wisest man alive and abundantly wealthy. He tried all manner of worldly delights to feel satisfied: wine, work, gardening, building, servants, possessions, wealth and women.[1] He denied himself nothing , yet concluded his search was “vanity and striving after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:11b

Trying everything, but failing to find joy, Solomon was left hopeless and despondent. “I hated life, for the work which has been done under the sun was grievous to me, because everything is futility and striving after wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:17

He would later conclude, that God has set eternity in the hearts of men.[2] He realized the impossibility of trying to fill an endless heart with temporal delights.

Do you recognize the same deep longings in your soul? Have past moments of delight given you hints of what might be? Think back on your days of innocence, before your hearts was hardened by life’s pains. Do you remember times when your heart tingled with gladness: fire flies illuminating a summer night, the rhythmic sound of waves at the beach, the cool breezes of early fall, colorful Christmas lights, the smell of baking cookies, a visit from your grandparent?

Magical moments may still delight us, but life has a way of desensitizing us. We lose the scent of these whiffs of joy and travel down many paths in search of their sweet aroma.

But alas:

The path of pleasant circumstances is overgrown with thorns.
The path of feeling good has unexpected pits of addiction and rosy alleyways of denial
The path of success rises up into exhaustion
The path of popularity robs us of our identity
The path of wealth trudges into ever increasing longings

These and all false paths leave us empty and utterly joyless, often hurting those we love along the way.

The only path to the deep joy we long for is the path to Eternal God, who designed us to be satisfied only in Him.

In God’s presence is fullness of joy.[3] He fills our hearts with more gladness than when harvest and new wine abound.[4] When we delight in the Lord, He gives us the desires of our hearts.[5]

Lord, help us not to fall into Solomon’s trap. The glitter of riches, success and pleasure can keep us in a boundless pursuit of fool’s gold. If we could carry this quests to the ends Solomon did, we too would find them vain pursuits, a chasing after the wind. Lord, may we seek You, the Pearl of Great Value, worthy of our all.[6]

You’ve made a path to you, by the death of Your Son. When we commit ourselves to you, trusting what Christ has done for our righteousness, You rescue us and make us your children. You travel life with us, promising to never leave us, though we pass through the valley of death .[7] When our days are done, you’ll lead us into glory,[8] where our hearts will rejoice forever in joy inexpressible and full of glory.

Please keep us focused only on you, our Unfailing Joy.

Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I will say Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

[1] Ecclesiastes 2:1-10

[2] Ecclesiastes 3:11

[3] Psalm 16:11

[4] Psalm 4:7

[5] Psalm 37:4

[6] Matthew 13:46

[7] Psalm 23:4

[8] Psalm 73:24

God is our Reward, The Goodness of God

What is Good?

May 16, 2018 robuck4@aol.com Leave a comment

I rest in the goodness of God. When I’m present with Him, the troubles of my life are out of view. Because He’s good, I’m good.

However, when I remember my present difficulties, if I’m not careful, they can suck the good right out of me.

Psalm 73 tells a story of a man who’s dealing with a crisis of belief. Things are not going well and he really doesn’t know what to do.

Asaph feels embittered and pierced within, yet he makes a wise choice. He brings his situation honestly before God.

God is always ready to hear where we are and the honest condition of our hearts. He can handle whatever we want to dish out. The worse thing we can do is shy away from Him because of shame, guilt or disappointment.

As Asaph talks to God, his heart begins to shift. Though his feelings haven’t changed, he sees the end of those who don’t follow God. “Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.” Psalm 73:17b-18

Then in verse 23, a dramatic turn occurs. Talking to God he says, “Nevertheless, I am continually with You. You have taken hold of my right hand and with Your council will guide me, and afterwards receive me to glory.”

Whatever pit we find ourselves in right this moment. Whatever evidence we see around us that life is not good, we can repeat the above words in sincerity to God, releasing our lives into His care.

Nevertheless, no matter what, God, you are with me. It is You who have taken the initiative to reach out and take my hand and lead me. It is You who guides me along the way until You receive me into Your glory.

How reassuring! This truth can completely change our perspective. It did for Aspah. See what he wrote next:

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And beside you I desire nothing on earth.”[1]

By bringing his concerns to God, even his complaints, God performed a 180 degree shift in Asaph’s heart.

Let’s recognize, as he did, that goodness is not in how our lives are going. Goodness is in God’s nearness. God is always with us and He is always good, no matter what goes on in our lives.

Asaph ended his Psalm with words which have become a truth I build my life around.

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good.” Psalm 73:28a

Challenge: What circumstance threatens your sense of well-being? In other words, what has to be right in your life for you to be okay? It can be very good things, a good marriage, prospering children, successful career, etc. All these “goods” can never replace the fact that we are good because our God is good. Place the Lord of your life above all of things. He is worthy. He is trustworthy. He is good.

[1] Psalm 73:25

Joyful Heart

Joy – Nectar for our Hearts

May 11, 2017 robuck4@aol.com 2 Comments

It was the night before he would be cruelly murdered. He knew it, but they had no idea. To them what Jesus did was unheard of. He washed their smelly, grimy feet, a chore traditionally performed only by slaves. Peter was so shocked he almost refused it. But this sacrificial act of service began a demonstration of Christ’s love which would culminate with the sacrifice of his very life the next day.

After his betrayer left, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”[1]

Later that night, as he made his way to the garden of tears, he unveiled his love in words, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love.”[2]

He went on to explain that if we love others with the same sacrificial love he demonstrated towards us, we would remain in his love. This establishes the great cadence of the Christian life, receiving Christ’s love and giving it away. After all, we only love because he first loved us.[3]

Then Jesus makes a connection between love and joy, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”[4]

Jesus wrote these very important things about love for the purpose of our joy. He’s basically telling us that if we focus on loving others as he’s loved us, we’ll have the joy our hearts crave.

As with our physical hearts, our spiritual hearts are vital to our health. We get our word “courage” from the French word for heart – “cour”. Without a vibrant inner heart we become “dis-couraged” and life becomes drudgery.

What’s the key to a healthy spiritual heart?

Consider the ancient proverb, “A joyful heart brightens one’s face, but a troubled heart breaks the spirit.”[5]

Our hearts were designed to run on joy. When we’re joyful, our inner core[6] is bright, otherwise, our spirits are broken.

Whether we realize it or not, we’re all searching for joy. We were designed for it.[7] But sustained joy can’t be found in worldly affections or smooth circumstances. Lasting joy, producing a vibrant, “en-couraged” heart, can only be found in nearness to God.

David wrote of God: “in your presence is fullness of joy”[8]

Joy is more than a “nice to have” add on to life. It’s fuel for the soul. Jesus wants us to have complete joy. It’s essential to our spiritual health and vital for the courage we need to face the moments of our lives.

Do you want joy?

Jesus tells you how to stay connected with his love and how to have his joy:

love others as he’s loved you.[9]

“for the joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10b

[1] John 13:34 (NIV)

[2] John 15:9 (NIV)

[3] I John 4:19 (NASB)

[4] John 15:11 (NIV)

[5] Proverbs 15:13 (CEB)

[6] From the Latin for heart – “cor”

[7] Ecclesiastes 3:11

[8] Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

[9] John 15:12 (NASB)