Everyone has a God-shaped vacuum. We try to fill it with all kinds of things but are never truly satisfied until we fill it with the love and grace of God. You see we were created by God and there is a deep longing within each created being to be reconciled with our Creator.
We may try and fill this God-shaped vacuum with various things. They could even be healthy things like family, friends, work, etc, but anything that is out of balance in our lives is not God’s best for us and even these things can become unhealthy.
Some may try and fill the empty space inside with an addiction of any description. We all have something we need to overcome in our lives. For some, it may be a weight issue, anxiety, and depression, etc and we turn to something other than God to self-medicate. This could be anything from prescription pills to alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, sex addiction, etc.
However, any relief from our pain is temporary. As any addict will tell you, you can never get enough! Addiction is a bottomless pit. One is never satisfied. We always want more. An addict is constantly looking for and planning their next fix. While eating that ‘forbidden fruit’ you aren’t really enjoying it. You are already plotting your next ‘high’.
If you are in this situation, have you ever considered that you have a God-shaped vacuum that desperately yearns to be filled with God’s peace that passes understanding?
Some young people think they can fill their life with friends and partying, or it could be an obsession with sport or hobbies. Their families, jobs, etc are not their priority, all they live for is to go out with their mates and party, party, party. The next day they can hardly function and don’t have any time for anybody else but themselves. When you are empty inside, you are usually self-absorbed, selfish, constantly looking to meet your own needs, to fill that void and you tend to forget about others.
You may tend to avoid your parents or family members lest anyone confronts you about your actions. So you keep your distance and become alienated from those closest to you. Especially your Heavenly Father who loves you passionately and is waiting for you to recognise the need you have for Him in your life. He is ever-present, waiting patiently for us to accept His free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). As you accept Jesus into your life, that God-shaped vacuum is filled to overflowing. The Father embraces you, as you can read in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. He receives you, restores you, and you are reconciled to God.
So, you don’t have to feel isolated today or cut off from God. Let him fill that God-shaped vacuum. Let Him help you overcome every trap of the enemy to isolate you. The devil wants you to feel overwhelmed, isolated and desperate – in a constant state of seeking greater dependency on your drug of choice. He works to alienate young adults from their parents and couples from each other. He wants to break down trust between people. This is why pornography is so devastating as it kills the intimacy so essential in a successful relationship.
However, when we fill our God-shaped vacuum with heavenly pursuits our whole life changes because we being to see ourselves and others through God’s eyes. The Holy Spirit, dwelling within us, opens our eyes to the needs of the people around us, as the love of God is poured out in our hearts. We start to operate in love rather than lust. We start looking to give rather than to get.
This is vital in a marriage. God wants you to see your spouse as the object of your desire and save yourself for that special person you are in a covenant relationship with through marriage. This is why His Word clearly defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. Doing things God’s way is the best possible guarantee of happiness.
What does the God-Shaped vacuum look like?
We are created in the image of God. This means the outline of our human figure points to something much greater, but similar in outline. God has a head, body, arms and legs, hands and feet as we do. He has a face that we cannot see, however, we know much we can lean on His shoulders. We all have experiences of how He reaches out to us with His loving arms and how much His feet propel Him towards us. Again the image of the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son comes to mind. You can literally picture the Father’s embrace of the repentant son who has finally realised where he belongs.
A powerful Bible passage focuses on the Armour of God. God needs no armour, but He gives us His armour to protect us. Look at each element as described in Ephesians 6:10-18. The Helmet of Salvation, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, Sword of the Spirit, Belt of Truth and Feet of the Gospel of Peace. Perhaps each one of these could be a facet of the God-shaped vacuum within us? Certainly, as we fill ourselves with God, these are the things He restores in our lives.
He wants us to know the truth, have the assurance that we are saved and constantly challenge us to walk in righteousness. Though we have both protective and defensive spiritual weapons, they are geared to bring us peace. That is the Gospel He wants us to share, to be ready to go and fulfill the Great Commission He has given us. He wants us to be His hands and feet.
When we put an idol, something else with a human figure into the place of God, it falls far, far short. Even if we were to find the most perfect person, the most beautiful woman or the most handsome man, they could not possibly fill the God-shaped vacuum. Many try to do this, as they try to worship the created being rather than the Creator. We see this in Romans 1. However, this does not satisfy. The idolatrous relationship cannot ultimately satisfy no matter how today’s society seeks to legitimise them.
There is only one thing that can fill the God-shaped vacuum and that is God Himself. The God we know as expressed in the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are all God, just like water can be solid ice, liquid water, or vapor gas.
Through Jesus we are redeemed, our debt is paid and we are reconciled with our Heavenly Father. Through Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us and the God-shaped vacuum is filled. This is the start of the most exciting journey to become more like Him and be His hands and feet to those whose lives are still hollow and empty, without meaning.
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:2)
Prayer to fill your God-Shaped vacuum
Father God, I come to you in the Name of Jesus Christ. Thank you for opening my eyes to the God-shaped vacuum within, and my deep need to be reconciled with You. Please forgive me for trying to fill my life with so many things that do not please You. Forgive me for my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
Today I accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Please come into my life and fill the empty space inside me with your love, grace, mercy and peace. May I be filled with all the fullness of God through the Holy Spirit. Take My life Lord and let it be consecrated to you. Give me the wisdom and direction I need to grow as your child and be a light to others. In Jesus name, Amen.
Also read: 7 Ps to ensure happiness
Al Gibson
Wordsmith, overcomer and exhorter. Al has a degree in Journalism and Media Studies and years of communications experience in Africa, the UK, Israel and USA. He left South Africa in 2001 and worked for GOD TV in England for 18 years. He now heads up Countdown Creative, a content creation business in Exeter. Al is the author of three biographies. Blogs he writes for include GODTV.com; International Christian and UK and US Christian.
