As the airplane landed during my last trip, I got a little sad. The lady who sat beside me during the three-hour flight became my friend. We talked and shared and laughed. We exchanged business cards and pledged to keep in touch.
‘Hey, That’s My Bag!’
The plane landed. Passengers filed out and stopped only to grab their luggage from the overhead compartment.
Suddenly, my new friend jumped to her feet, “Hey, that’s my bag!”
She dashed down the aisle after the innocent thief. I assume she caught up and claimed her suitcase.
We’ve all done the same. Unexpectedly, something or someone takes something we value, something that belonged to us, something that leaves us lost without it.
And when we’re left helpless, empty of what was essential to us, we want to either scream with pain, fade into sorrow or turn to anger. Often, it’s all three.
There’s Good News
The good news is that God knows our helpless feeling. He sees our loneliness. And He watches the emptiness that fills our nights.
That’s why, in Psalm 103, He provides that which nothing or no one can take away:
No one can steal our hope for healing if we remember all God’s benefits—and He who forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases,
No one can rob our path to triumph because He redeems our life from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion.
Nothing can snatch our expectation for good things because He satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
No one can steal our strength when facing attacks because the Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
Nothing can take God’s love from us because the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
Nothing can remove His forgiving nature because He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor his anger forever.
Nothing can take His comfort from us because He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.
No one can take away the cleansing of our soul because as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Life Becomes Rich Again
And when there are no more tears left to cry, we can give up what we lost, but we can never lose what God gives.
That’s when life becomes rich again. That’s when life shines with hope and when our life turns the page to begin a new chapter.
Let’s Pray
Father, in the loneliness of the night and the emptiness of the day, my heart will sing of the richness that your promises bring. In Jesus’ name.
What will fill your emptiness today? {eoa}
Janet Perez Eckles is an international speaker and the author of four books. She has helped thousands conquer fear and bring back joy.
This article originally appeared at janetperezeckles.com.
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett