I wrote to a fellow brother in Christ recently, as I couldn't understand why I was feeling so low and empty. I wrote a few things about me and how I felt and he replied and told me this:

"From what you describe it may well be that the Lord is trying to take you through a time of change and maturing where the things of this world become less enjoyable and less important and where He wants to be more enjoyable and more important in your life. It's something I call eternal perspective".

I have felt for a long time, that everything is less important, but these last few weeks I have felt rather empty, lost so to speak. I drive around my area, which I have lived in for over 14 years now, I just don't feel part of it anymore, it all seems strange to me.

I pulled this off the internet, which helped me to understand it a bit more, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Does anyone else feel like this and would they like to share there journey with me.

Living with an Eternal Perspective - Are You in Love with the World?
by Dr. David R. Reagan

What is your attitude toward this world? There's a gospel song by Albert Brumley that always challenges me to examine my attitude toward the world. The first verse goes as follows:

This world is not my home,
I'm just a passing through.
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door,
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

Do those words express your feeling about this world? What words would you use? Enthusiastic or uncomfortable? Enamored or alienated? Do you feel at home or do you feel like a stranger?

A Personal View:
Let me ask your indulgence for a moment as I share my personal feeling about this world. The word I would use is "hate." Yes, I hate this world. I hate it with a passion so strong and so intense that I find it difficult to express in words.

Now, let me hasten to clarify my feeling by stating that I do not hate God's beautiful and marvelous creation.

I have been privileged to marvel over the majesty of the Alps. I have been awed by the rugged beauty of Alaska. I never cease to be amazed by the creative wonders of God in the great American Southwest. I have been blessed to see the incredible beauty of Cape Town, South Africa. And I have been overwhelmed time and time again by the stark and almost mystical bareness of the Judean wilderness in Israel.

When I say that I "hate" this world, I'm not speaking of God's creation. I'm speaking, instead, of the evil world system that we live in.

Let me give you some examples of what I'm talking about:

I hate a world where thousands of babies are murdered every day in their mother's wombs.

I hate a world where young people in the prime of life have their lives destroyed by illicit drugs.

I hate a world that coddles criminals and makes a mockery of justice.

I hate a world that glorifies crime in its movies and television programs.

I hate a world that applauds indecent and vulgar performers like Madonna.

I hate a world where government tries to convert gambling from a vice to a virtue.

I hate a world in which professional athletes are paid over a million dollars a year while hundreds of thousands sleep homeless in the streets every night.

I hate a world where people judge and condemn one another on the basis of skin color.

I hate a world that calls evil good by demanding that homosexuality be recognized as a legitimate, alternative lifestyle.

I hate a world in which mothers are forced to work while their children grow up in impersonal day care centers.

I hate a world in which people die agonizing deaths from diseases like cancer and AIDS.

I hate a world where families are torn apart by alcohol abuse.

I hate a world where every night I see reports on the television news of child abuse, muggings, kidnappings, murders, terrorism, wars, and rumors of wars.

I hate a world that uses the name of my God, Jesus, as a curse word.

I hope you understand now what I mean when I say, "I hate this world!"

Jesus' Viewpoint
But how I personally feel about this world is not important. The crucial point for you to consider is the biblical view. Let's look at it, and as we do so, compare the biblical view with your own.

Let's begin with the viewpoint that Jesus told us we should have. It is recorded in John 12:25 — "He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal."

Those are strong words. They are the kind that cause us to wince and think, "Surely He didn't mean what He said." But the context indicates that Jesus meant exactly what He said. So, what about it? Do you hate your life in this world or do you love it?

The Viewpoint of the Apostles
The apostle Paul gave a very strong warning about getting comfortable with the world. In Romans 12:2 he wrote: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." How do you measure up to this exhortation?

Are you conformed to the world? Have you adopted the world's way of dress? What about the world's way of speech or the world's love of money? Are your goals the goals of the world — power, success, fame, and riches?

The brother of Jesus expressed the matter in very pointed language. He said, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

Are you a friend of the world? Are you comfortable with what the world has to offer in music, movies, television programs and best selling books? Friendship with the world is hostility toward God!

In fact, James puts it even stronger than that, for at the beginning of the passage I previously quoted (James 4:4), he says that those who are friendly with the world are spiritual adulterers.

The apostle John makes the same point just as strongly in 1 John 2:15-16:

Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

There is no way to escape the sobering reality of these words. Do you love the world? If so, the love of the Father is not in you!

The Focus of Your Mind
Paul tells us how to guard against becoming comfortable with the world. In Colossians 3:2 he says, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." In Philippians 4:8 he expresses the same admonition in these words:

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let you mind dwell on these things.

As these verses indicate, one of the keys to living a triumphant life in Christ — to living a joyous and victorious life in the midst of a world wallowing in despair — is to live with a conscious eternal perspective.

I have personally found this to be so important that I carry a reminder of it in my shirt pocket at all times. It is a small card that was sent to me in 1988 by the great prophetic preacher, Leonard Ravenhill. The card says, "Lord, keep me eternity conscious."

What does that mean? In the words of Peter, that means living as "aliens and strangers" in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Similarly, in the words of the writer of Hebrews, it means living as "strangers and exiles" on this earth (Hebrews 11: 13). Paul put it this way: "Do not set your minds on earthly things, for our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:19-20).

The great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, explained that to live with an eternal perspective means "living as commandos operating behind the enemy lines, preparing the way for the coming of the Commander-in-Chief."

What is Your Attitude?
Are you focused on this world? Are you attached to it, or do you have a sense of the fact that you are only passing through, heading for an eternal home?

This life is transitory. This life is only a prelude to eternity. The song writer, Tillit S. Teddlie put it all in perspective when he wrote:

Earth holds no treasures
But perish with using,
However precious they be;
Yet there's a country
To which I am going:
Heaven holds all to me.

Why should I long
For the world with its sorrows,
When in that home o'er the sea,
Millions are singing
The wonderful story?
Heaven holds all to me.

Heaven holds all to me,
Brighter its glory will be;
Joy without measure
Will be my treasure:
Heaven holds all to me.

Hey there Word of Life,

I also have felt similar to what you describe. I feel so disconnected to the world and cannot tolerate what's happening. It's also a feeling of being lost like you could move to another area or country.

I don't know quite what to do because I just can't seem to fit in to what's going on around me. Still in that place and I believe GOD is somehow trying to show me something or lead me in a certain direction. Am still seeking HIM to hear what HE is saying to me.

That’s exactly how I feel HouseofJudah. I did some more thought about this and even though I do feel lost and don't fit in anywhere, we need to soldier on.

2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

And like you said we need to wait for His direction, where He will lead us.

I read this scripture some time back and it has come back to me again.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Because we are a new person, the old person and our old ways, just don't seem right anymore and I think we all struggle from this, from time to time.

Reading your thread Word of Life, proved very searching and challenging indeed, to my soul today.

You also quoted Leanard Ravenhill. A precious servant of the Most High, and a Prince of Preachers.

"This world is not my home..............."

No we are looking for a country, whose builder and maker is God.

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Dear Stephen, please do not be offended. Could you please give me the recipe for genuine Yorkshire Pudding. This is not a joke. In 1954 I was on a course with the Mines and Mechanisation School based in Sheffield. I was placed in lodgings with a family of whome I have the tenderest memories.
The Yorkshire Pudding was not of a round and hollow shape but robust and rectangular and about an inch thick. That family treated me like a son. If you can do this I should be much obliged as it would solve an ongoing argument within my family. Ah the ailment of the young, thinking that their elders are"PAST IT" Of course anybody else who reads this post may add their Hapennyworth(hapeneth), if they wish. The recipe for cooking SQUASH would also be welcomed. Any sugestions as to its antecedents and (UNCLECEDENTS) WOULD ALSO BE APPRECIATED. RESPECT.

Word of Life, I know how you feel. I too hate what this world has become. God created such a beautiful world for us to enjoy. He thought of everything. When I watch the seasons change, I can't help but thank Him. He could have just allowed the leaves to drop from the trees, but instead he gave us an array of colors to first enjoy. The snow, as it covers the barren trees, what a wonderful sight.

While I hate the evils of this world, I have peace in knowing that all of this must occur before the return of our Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 3:1-9

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Now as Janes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.