Finding Meaning in a Broken World

A now dead philosopher named Pascal once said the following about our longings as human beings:

What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God Himself.*

Translation – man has a “God-shaped hole” inside of him that he fills with any and all habits, hobbies, passions and more in the hopes of achieving true happiness (or joy). Unfortunately, the joy found in any of these things or pursuits eventually fades (for one reason or another) and all that’s left is that God-shaped hole.

Why?

Because the only thing that can truly fill the void in our souls is the Creator Himself. We are separated from Him and long for what once was (in the beginning)… a pure, unaffected, undivided relationship with Him. In a broken and fallen world, though, we become like Solomon who (in an attempt to find satisfaction and happiness) filled his life with numerous, empty pursuits (women, wealth, knowledge, etc.) just like we do. Solomon said, in the end, he found that all of those pursuits were like “chasing the wind” (you never truly catch it).

We feel alone. We feel broken. We feel lost. We feel distant. We feel empty. Even when we feel satisfied we worry about when that feeling will fade.

Our souls long for more!

We long for meaning…

we long for purpose…

we long for unconditional acceptance and love…

we long for contentment…

we long to be valued.

The only One who has the ability to restore us and fill us the way we truly desire to be filled is our Creator. Until we are willing to accept that fact, our “God-shaped hole” will forever remain empty of its only True resident and we will continue our vain and failing attempt to catch the wind.

PARENTS: Share with your kids/teens about the “God-shaped hole.” Ask them what they think that term means. Talk to them about True joy/happiness found in God.

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* Blaise Pascal, Pensees, trans. A. J. Krailsheimer (London: Penguin, 1993), 45. Quote found at http://hindsfoot.org/godshann.html

Image borrowed from http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20050925014205data_trunc_sys.shtml

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