You know, I never realized how many holes there are on earth if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them. We live in a culture where we are encouraged to be as productive as possible. We see an empty area in our lives and we feel that we have to fill it with something. That is an innate feeling from God.
This is where my theory of the God-sized hole comes from. We try to fill it with a spouse, a baby, another job, or even a hobby. Sometimes we come across the people who tell you, “Don’t tell me how to live my life,” and just leave that part of their life empty. Whether we do something about it or just ignore it, we feel like something is not right.
From time to time we all get that gnawing feeling inside that something is missing. And we all wish we had that mom superpower. You know the one I am talking about. A mother sends a child to their room to bring something to her (say a shirt for the laundry). That child disappears to their room for 17 minutes and returns empty-handed.
Mom goes to the room and 4 seconds later returns with the shirt. That is a superpower I wish I had. I want so badly to just sit down for a couple of minutes and then know exactly what I need and where I can find it. I am very bad at this. Most of the time my mind keeps telling me the same answer, “You know what you need? A whole sleeve of Oreos and you will be just fine.”
Please don’t judge me.
John 14:6 says:
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to Father except through me.
I don’t see any big college words in that statement. But if you are like me you still try to add other ways to fill that hole and to feel full on the inside. One of my most favorite pastimes is to imagine how conversations went between God and angels when he was creating the world and humans. I imagine one went like this:
Angel: Ok, we’ve got death, disease, and strife…anything else?
God: One more. I call it the empty carbohydrate. They eat it and it does nothing to fuel their body.
Angel: Oh, ok so that means it will taste terrible?
God: Actually, the exact opposite and it will be the center of their world.
I am almost positive this is how the conversation went. This is a true story, except for the parts that aren’t true.
God-Sized Hole
There is a God-sized hole inside of everyone and we waste so much time trying to figure out on our own what goes in there. Like the empty carbohydrate, we gorge on these unfulfilling things, and for a moment they satisfy but they do not leave us full.
If I just made more money…If we could just finally get pregnant…If my spouse would just listen and do as I ask things would be so much better.
Jesus said he has come that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10). Just imagine if we put our desires to the side and decide to put first things first.
What if we filled that God-sized hole in our hearts with…….God!
Sometimes we have the right idea. We know what we should serve in the church. We know we should help that single mom living next door. We know we should be nicer to that one coworker that smells kind of funny and is socially awkward. We know what we should do but we do it for the wrong reasons.
I remember there was a time when I would only serve at the 9:45 am service because I needed to be back home in time for the noon kickoff for the NFL. My motives were in the right place but I was not living life to the fullest that God envisioned for me. I was just creating another hole on top of filling it with my own selfish desires.
Cult
We as Christians need to prioritize God and stop substituting him with empty carbohydrates that do nothing to fill that God-sized hole that is in our hearts. Sometimes it just really simple. As you go through 2020 take stock of what there is in your life that you need to remove. I bet when you are done taking an inventory you will find a hole that would fit God perfectly. All you have to do now is receive the life has offered and live life to the full.
Prescott Williamson is a Bible-believing Christian. He is a husband, a father, and someone who believes that there is a little humor to be found in whatever situation God sends your way. He was born in the small islands of the Bahamas but now lives in the Suburbs of Fort Worth Texas, which is basically the same thing. He enjoys TV, reading, blogging and serving in his church (especially on the days they serve donuts). You can see what I have been thinking about lately on my blog www.prescottascoolbreeze.com.
