Void

Void. Each of us walks around with a void in our lives. We’re in constant search for something to fill that vacuum. Some of us look to people, some to substance – and wind up abusing either out of the frustration that results from the void burning a hole through our hearts like a magnified ray of sun burning it’s way through a thin piece of paper.

 

It may sound cliché to say that this hole in our being is a god-shaped void. What we fill it with becomes our god; what we put before everything else, until it fails to satisfy us. Then we go off in search of another god.

 

More specifically, this emptiness is a God-shaped void that only He can fill completely and perfect and forever. Everything and everyone else will fail us.

 

Children love unconditionally! If only I had a child, that would fill my void!

 

A spouse, a mate, a life partner – surely that will erase my loneliness!

 

Success, which will absolutely keep me so busy I won’t have time to notice this emptiness!

 

Money! If I have money to spend on whatever I want, that will satisfy me!

 

The hunger within us grows.

 

The children, the partner, the success and the money leave me lacking still.

 

Alcohol! The preferred method of many to numb the sting of heartache, sorrow, lack of direction or the overwhelming pressure we’ve created to fill that void on our own. Or drugs, recreational or prescribed, it doesn’t matter, they will lull us to a place where nothing matters, not even our emptiness.

 

No, even the chemicals that dim our inhibitions can’t drown out the deafening sounds of the silence in our soul. No addiction found by man can drive away the darkness that strives to swallow us up, daily.

 

Why, oh why must we turn every direction we see, searching out fulfillment, running after it – until we’re exhausted? We need only to look up, our redemption draws near…

 

Why, oh why do we search in vain, hurting ourselves and others in the process? God is there, as close as the mention of His Name.

 

When we turn to God and admit our brokenness, bowing before Him in need of mercy and grace, does that fix everything that’s wrong in our lives?

 

No. We’re still left with struggles, circumstances that we’d rather not face. We still search the path to heavenly eternity.

 

But now, we have the light to see the path before us. The light of God, shining from within us, which can only be extinguished if we choose to turn against it.

 

Now, we have peace in our soul, our only hunger is for more of Him. Now we are assured of eternal rest and joy for the journey.

 

Now, and only now, the God-shaped void is filled and we have peace.

 

 

Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”  (KJV)

 

Psalm 105:4 “Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.” (KJV)

 

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near”

 

Acts 17:27 “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us”