Trusting God to Fill Our Blank Spaces
I have known some form of blank most of my life.
Blank spaces nearly succeeded at branding my childhood. They attempted to steal my joy. And blank often overstayed its welcome and threatened to hold me hostage to the emptiness.
So I used to wonder if the God in heaven received memos from people on earth. One memo in particular from a girl wondering why He allowed her life to have blanks. Why He didn’t give her answers.
Because of blank spaces in my childhood, I grew into a woman who became obsessed for any and every blank to be filled in with something—anything.
Like as a college student it bothered me to leave an unknown answer blank on a test. Even now, whether it’s a class or online training, I frantically search for what goes in the blank.
And as Christian, I need all the lines filled in on my Bible study book. Seeing blank lines with missing answers (only white space) triggers memories of a life devoid of answers.
Blank Spaces in All Shapes and Sizes
Blank spaces come in all shapes and sizes and seasons of life bringing loss or lack in areas such as relational, spiritual, mental and emotional.
No respecter of persons, blanks affect us all. Because I don’t know of anyone personally or anyone named in the Bible without blanks for God to fill.
But…what if when we are surrounded by blank spaces, we trust that God is there too? And when the blanks seem greater in number than filled ones, what if we were confident the Lord was at work behind the scenes to bring about our good?
When we are surrounded by blank spaces, we trust that God is there too. And when the blanks seem greater in number than filled ones, we are confident the Lord's at work behind the scenes to bring about our good. #TrustGod #fill Click To TweetBlank Filled With God and by Him
None of the blanks in our life go unnoticed by our heavenly Father. He sees, knows, cares, and has a plan of action.
There is no barrenness, emptiness or blankness God cannot reach to fill with His goodness or His God-ness.
There is no barrenness, emptiness or blankness God cannot reach to fill with His goodness or His God-ness. #TrustGod #fill Click To TweetWhile God may not fill a blank in our life exactly how we wanted, He fills it best and fills it with Himself!
Yet, sometimes our biggest problem is how we forget who our biggest filler is. God doesn’t shy away from our blanks like humans do. He boldly meets us in our need.
The Lord already knows our need, patiently waits for us to ask Him to fill in the blank and invite Him to occupy it.
Not a Question of “If” But “When”
There’s no question of if God is going to fill our blanks because we belong to Him as children. We just never know how and when. We let God intervene when and how He chooses.
Hindsight is how I’ve learned to entrust God with my blanks. “If you have 20/100 vision, it means that you must be as close as 20 feet to see what a person with normal vision can see at 100 feet. Having 20/20 vision does not necessarily mean you have perfect vision. 20/20 vision only indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance.” (Google)
Once God fills in a blank, my faith vision grows to sharper clarity. Since I’m now at a distance where I can see God’s faithfulness through the entire process. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV).
Faith Eyes for Blank Spaces
1 Corinthians 2:9b reminds us, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (NLT).
Now, look at Paul’s teaching in the preceding verses.
“My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5 & 7, ESV, emphasis mine).
Will you join me to pray for faith eyes to trust what God has prepared for our blank spaces, and rest in His wisdom to fill them exactly as He sees fit?
Never lose hope in expecting the higher and better and more complete things God has for your blanks. Supernatural. Divine. Miraculous.
Never lose hope in expecting the higher and better and more complete things God has for your blanks. Supernatural. Divine. Miraculous. #TrustGod #fill Click To Tweet
For more about God’s filling, Why “Full” Runs Out at the Bottom of Every Human Bucket.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Literacy Musings/Tell His Story/Purposeful Faith/Recharge Wednesday/Worth Beyond Rubies/Tune in Thursday/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected and Faith On Fire.
© 2020 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
His never ending love will give us peace and comfort in the blank spaces in life. Great message Karen.
So true, Melissa. None of the blanks in our life go unnoticed by our heavenly Father. He sees, knows, cares, and has a plan of action.
God is the only one who can truly fill-in-the-blanks in our lives. We must have faith that He always has and always will.
Blessings, Karen!
Yes, He will, Martha! The Lord already knows our need, patiently waits for us to ask Him to fill in the blank and invite Him to occupy it. God bless!
If we did not have or create new blank spaces, there would be no place we could invite GOD to come in and dwell./
Agree, Jerry. And when we try to fill those blanks ourselves, we jeopardize God’s work.
Your blog reminds me that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. ( Is 55:8-9)What seems like blanks to us may be the Lord offering us growth opportunities.
Maribeth, that’s a great scripture to drive home the point. Blanks are absolutely growth opportunities and lessons to rely on the Lord. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
I so need to camp out on this:
“The Lord already knows our need, patiently waits for us to ask Him to fill in the blank and invite Him to occupy it.”
So do I, Ava. We often run ahead of God and then the blanks are filled with lesser treasures than what the Lord had for us all along. Especially if it’s filled with self and not Christ!
Beautifully said. Blank spaces always made me nervous and uncomfortable (so did silence); often they still do. But I’ve learned to leave blank spaces in my life as an adult so they can be room for the Holy Spirit to move within. Such a great piece, Karen. God bless you!
Thanks, Jessica. You make a valid point. When we fill ourselves and every empty and blank space with something, there’s no space left for the Holy Spirit.
Thanks for the great example of how to view those blank spaces in our lives. Those are the places where we can find Christ hard at work if we trust Him.
Oh, yes, Yvonne. We are confident the Lord is at work behind the scenes to bring about our good.
The blank spaces, the unanswered questions, the whys, the “I don’t understand” moments, these are the mysteries we must learn to hand to God, the unknowns we must wait upon him to reveal. Some we will discover in our lifetimes. Some we may never understand until we see his face.
You mentioned Paul’s proclamation of “a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” God has a plan from before all time that we know nothing about. Since his wisdom is secret and hidden from us, we must rest in his character, therefore, as we await the filling of the blanks. Some blanks get filled when we see him face to face, some here on earth. God determines when. Thank you for this contemplative post, Karen.
“God has a plan from before all time that we know nothing about.” Amen to this, Melinda. God does determine the how and when of all our blanks. May we trust His wisdom that is above all eartly knowledge to fill us as He sees fit because He knows best.
I want to pray for faith eyes to trust what God has prepared for my blank spaces. And to never lose hope in expecting the higher and better and more complete things God has for the blanks. Supernatural. Divine. Miraculous.
Oh how I love the idea of letting His “God-ness” fill all the empty spaces in my soul. I’ve often heard that while living in sin, there was a God-shaped hole in my heart that only He could fill. What a true statement that is. To see from whence I came to be what I am today; it could only be God. While I am far from being the man God wants me to be; I am so grateful He is a patient potter, continuing to mold me into the perfect vessel I will one day become. Loved this post Ms. Karen. Thank you!
Thanks for adding value to the conversation, J.D. We often hear about those voids in our heart and soul that only God can fill. Salvation and beyond as we grow more into the image of Christ and keep going to the well of living water that never runs dry. When we are empty and blank from the hardships of life, God is the source of everlasting filling so we never thirst again!
Feeling a bit “blank” lately in a few ways. I like the analogy of blank spaces…thought provoking. I will be praying for faith eyes to trust what God has prepared for my blank spaces, and to rest in His wisdom to fill them exactly as He sees fit! Thank you, Karen. Blessings!
Hey Penny, I relate to times of feeling those blank spaces surrounding me. I’m grateful the Lord doens’t shy away from our blanks like people do. And, really, they can’t fill them anyway, not the way God can. “Lord, help us remember you are the biggest and truest and right filler in our lives.”
Man, I needed this one today, Karen!
Fill my blank spaces, Lord!
I need to print this one out and save to read again.
Blessings!
Hi Beckie, so glad this resonated with you, friend. While God may not fill a blank in our life exactly how we wanted, He fills it best and fills it with Himself!
Great word of hope in your blog today, Karen! Thanks. I will be sure to include God in the blanks of my life.
Thank you, Diane. I pray we let God fill our blanks how and when He chooses.
Boy does this preach! A strong sermon indeed Karen and an area we all grope with. Oh the fists raised and unkindly verbage exchanged to God over the years until I grew in maturity…which was never quick I might add. The “why God Why” for me now has come to better understand that we look through natural finite lenses while He sees the total picture and avenues, even painful ones we must walk through in process to the plan we only know in part. Getting a little better with this, yet I don’t think I will ever find my comfort zone in the blanks. What has helped me in this regard is reflecting back on His goodness and movement on my behalf over the years, realizing He always has our best interests in mind and the needed blanks forge in us the character of faith and trust like nothing other. Blank wildernesses have helped me cling to Him knowing He was my true source. Only years later did I exchange throwing tantrums for praying His perfect will and believing so earnestly. I am sure you can agree that thank God He did not answer all our prayers and that the blanks preserved us from wreckage. I know this will fortify others to trust Him more as we all journey ahead to yet more blank spaces. Great word!😀❤️🙏🙏
Appreciate your thoughtful and insightful comment, Valerie. This “we look through natural finite lenses while He sees the total picture and avenues, even painful ones we must walk through in process to the plan we only know in part” reminded me of 1 For. 13:12, ” For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
The Lord always see the big picture. A Bible study I did years ago, the leader described it as God having the helicopter view. He is above and can see the timeline of our lives from birth to death and everything in between, as well as the timeline of the world at large. So it makes perfect sense to turn over our blank spaces (emptiness in our lives) and blank lines (when we don’t know the answer) to the Almighty!
There’s no question of if God is going to fill our blanks because we belong to Him as children. We just never know how and when. We let God intervene when and how He chooses.
Filling in the blanks – what a creative way to say we need answers sometimes and don’t get them. I, too, ask the Lord questions I don’t seem to get answered. But His way is higher than ours in everyway.
June, His ways are higher and He wants us to entrust Him with every part of our lives, including the blank and empty places when we are lacking or when we don’t have answers! He IS the answer!
“Once God fills in a blank, my faith vision grows to sharper clarity” – this is so true. At the beginning of this year, the months stretched out ahead of me like a blank space but somehow God filled it. In a way I never could have imagined. He filled it best. And now my faith is stronger and I know He’s at work in other blank spaces of my life. Thank you for this encouraging post.
A powerful testimony of how God filled in what was empty and blank in your life! Grow our faith, Lord! “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV).
Karen, this is so heartfelt, soulful, honest and hopeful. I love this! We are all faced with those empty spaces and the truth is, sometimes they don’t just leave us with questions or uneasiness, but deep aching pain. You are right, God Himself is our portion and the greater good is that He fills every empty space in our hearts, minds and lives. May we reach for Him more! Thank you for this beautiful message of hope in Christ!
Melissa, I pray we guard against frantically searching for what goes in the blank and let God fill it. Because He never leaves a blank, blank. But God always lovingly and intentionally fills blank spaces with treasures from the heavenly places.
I love the visual of a blank space on a form and trusting God to fill it. We all have ______, don’t we? And it doesn’t matter what your ____ is, He is enough. Candidly Christian was on a blog-catation for the month of August, and just now, in this moment reading your post, I realize I’ve really missed it. Thanks for linking up, Karen. I enjoy your blog so much. 🙂
Yes, indeed, Valerie. There are always blanks in our lives. I had a significant spiritual blank space before I knew Christ at 16. I prayed many years and many times for my atheist father to also fill in his spiritual blank with Christ…and he did! Now, I’m trusting the Lord on this journey through life to fill the blanks with Himself and with what’s best.
Thanks for your sweet and encouraging words! You bless me!
Karen this is amazing and it makes me think of how when a person is blind they can’t see with their natural eyes. But they see with their senses. They have to trust that what they are sensing is real. I think that’s kind of how it is when we say, “we walk by faith and not by sight….” To see with our faith-eyes things that are not seen in the natural! With sighted people we see all the blanks and it’s more difficult to walk by faith. “Lord, let us see you with faith-eyes and not look at the blanks. Let us trust you even when what we are seeing doesn’t make any since at all!” And besides that when there are blanks in our lives and we trust the Lord, anything is possible!!! 🙂 <3
That’s good insight, Marla. It is hard to see with faith-eyes when we know and see the blanks in our lives…those barren, empty places we wish were filled in. I’m praying and agreeing with your prayer, sister! Let’s never lose hope in expecting the higher and better and more complete things God has for your blanks. Supernatural. Divine. Miraculous.
I love this, Karen! I have blank spaces, too. I think growing up without a father encouraged this need to fill in every blank, complete every project…I was looking for what was missing and didn’t realize it. But as you said so well, we must trust that God is prepared to fill our blank spaces, and we can rest in His wisdom to fill them exactly as He sees fit. He is so capable. And truly, he did this for me. Where I lacked an earthly father, God filled that role as my Perfect Heavenly Father, who would never leave or forsake me. 🙂
Hey Marcie, thank you. Glad this spoke to you. I remember your story of being fatherless. I spent time as a child without my biological father and also had 3 different stepfathers. So, even when my dad reappeared, it was hard to make sense of those blank spaces…because a father who really loves, stays, he doesn’t leave. Emotionally, my childhood was blank and I learned to cope with the blanks by filling them with surface substitutes that never bring deep satisfaction to my soul. Praise the Lord, He fills in where we lack…as you said a wonderful heavenly Father who meets our needs perfectly!
There is so much to ponder here. My own blanks spaces, those of my loved ones, students I teach, neighbors…. Helps give us perspectives into why we are the way we are and to see others in a new light too. Fabulous!
Great thought, Nancy. Blank spaces help us self-evaluate and take a deeper look at others in how our blank spaces affect us and the people in our sphere of influence.
I’m thankful for how God fills in my blanks, even the blanks I didn’t know I had!
That’s good, Stephen. There are blanks we are unaware of that God longs to fill with himself!
I needed this encouragement, Karen! And, like you, I can see God’s faithfulness to me better now that I look back from a distance. I always feel sorry for those who are young and without much of a track record with God. But He’s always been faithful! Beautiful message, my friend! Pinning and tweeting!
Beth, I love this, “… a track record with God.” Yes! I pray we hold God’s faithfulness close and never forget.
Hallelujah and Maranatha Amen in Yeshus-Jesus Christ-Messiah Name!!
Love Always and Shalom, YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
Thank you, Kristi Ann! God bless sweet lady of God!
Karen,
Boy, if I had been the one to fill in all the blank spaces in my life – what a common, lackluster story it would have been. I can look back at all the blanks that God has filled in with Himself to let me know that I’m never alone. He’s also filled in blanks with the miraculous when I would have been willing to settle for the ordinary. He IS able to do more than we can ever ask or imagine. So glad HE is the blank-filler and not me!! Wonderful post!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Love how you described your filling to a lackluster story, Bev. So thankful the Lord is the author of our stories AND our blank spaces. He continues to fill them in and write our story. His love and mercy are seen on every page.
Thank you for this insight. It can be so difficult to be in those blank spaces. I have seen patience pay off in the hands of the Lord though. Thanks for sharing. Visiting today from the Purposeful Faith link up. Have a great week!
Thank you, Marielle. I agree about the patience. Many people in the Bible even grew inpatient with the Lord and took things into their own hands. And the outcome was less than desirable and it jeopardizes what God has for our blanks.
I love the concept of having faith eyes for blank spaces! Thanks for this great analogy, Karen. Glad you linked up at Grace & Truth.
Thanks, Lisa. So grateful for faith vision in looking back at God’s faithfulness.
grateful for a God who fills us in those blank and empty places. How desperately I try to fill them myself when I fail to go to Him. Thank you for sharing this perspective.
Yes, Mariel. Even if His filling looks different than what we wanted or imagined, it’s always best!
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