Do you have that inconsolable longing to be truly and deeply known?
As a young wife and mom, I copied a verse onto a note card and put it on my refrigerator more than 20 years ago. It served as a comfort to me then and remains a challenge to me even today:
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25, NASB).
That verse reminded me years ago that I have an Advocate in Heaven. And He is mine.
Who do I have but You, God? It is more than a question or even a statement. It is a motto. And I have reminded myself to live by that motto ever since.
Through unmet expectations of friends, the struggles in marriage, and the disappointments of life, I’ve come to learn that we all have an inconsolable longing — a longing to be truly and deeply known. And through the years, I have learned to be at peace knowing that longing will never be met this side of heaven. I will never be known by my husband, my child, my closest friend, as I really am. But I am known to God.
My inconsolable longing on this earth increases my yearning for Heaven — for true oneness and intimacy.
Only You, Lord, are perfect. Only You are incapable of disappointing me. Only You can satisfy. And only You can know me intimately.
When I focus on my inconsolable longing it can make me sad. But when I focus on Him, I realize the reason for my existence and often the reason for my loneliness: He wants to be the One to whom I cling.
To whom do you go when nothing else and no one else will satisfy? Where do you take those longings that remain unmet? There is One in Heaven waiting to fill the inconsolable longing in your heart as well. May you, too, be able to say as the Psalmist did: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
Lord, thank You that my inconsolable longing is truly consolable in You. You are the Only One who really knows my heart and can meet me in the place where I most need to be met. Although my heart and flesh may fail, “You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26).” Thank You that I have an Advocate in Heaven…and He is mine.
Dear Cindi~ I love this post, too. Wow! It reminded me of how I used to have a dream of being “famous” model and be on the cover of a magazine. Okay that is before I was saved, but still. Kind of funny now, or embarrassing. I went to a modeling convention in Florida once and won 2nd place in “Runway” competition. Also for one of my modeling jobs, I wore the stunt double costume of “Jean Grey” from the movie X-Men (I’ve never even seen that movie since I don’t watch t.v. and movies are a rarity for me). Anyway, now I know that all it is meaningless~ like “chasing the wind”. A decade ago or more, I threw away all my modeling awards, as I realized it was an idol~ or maybe I was my own idol. Oh well, somehow God can use those stories for good and His glory.
It helps to know that God knows us and sees us. When I focus on myself I can have lots of anxiety, I need to focus on His glory and others more, and as I do this, I think He will do more through me. Thanks for sharing this truth and these verses. It’s beautiful. Love you, sister!
You have a powerful testimony, Amber. (And I would’ve loved to have seen you in the Jean Grey costume…as my family loves the X-Men movies!) 🙂 You, like the Apostle Paul, know first-hand what it means to “count it all rubbish for the sake of Christ.” Thanks for your response. Love you, too, sister.
A beautiful post Cindi! So true that, “I will never be known by my husband, my child, my closest friend, as I really am. But I am known to God.” Which is such a comfort. He alone KNOWS me and still loves me no matter. Thank you Abba Father<3
Thanks, Chery. 🙂