Emptiness is a feeling that almost everyone experiences in their life. It can be hard to describe with words. I’ve heard people say, “I just have nothing to live for,” or “I just don’t feel anything,” or “I don’t have a purpose in life.” I have heard people ask, “What is the meaning of it all anyway?” or “What’s the point?”
People who struggle with emptiness talk about feeling bored or lost. They say things like, “I just don’t have anything going for me right now.” They talk about feeling numb.
Many people, afraid to stay in this condition, turn to whatever they can in order to fill the void they are experiencing. The easy choices are alcohol, drugs, and sex. Many others choose food, exercise, work, relationships, or Netflix. The list can go on and on. Some of these things can be helpful, and others are outright harmful and create an even deeper sense of emptiness.
What triggers feelings of emptiness?
Many times, emptiness is triggered by a traumatic event like a car accident, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, a diagnosis, or a divorce. When we experience significant loss in our lives, it is commonly followed by periods of emptiness. Something has been taken from us and has left a void.
We can lose sight of purpose and meaning and even come to a point where we feel like there are no more reasons to live. Many times, our emptiness can lead to bouts of depression.
What if emptiness isn’t a bad thing?
What if the feeling of emptiness was just a signal or a message to us to guide us along this life? What if those emotions were actually designed to help guide us to a full and satisfying life? What if God built them into our system like the gauges on the dashboard of a car that light up when we need to fill up?
Maybe it’s true that, “The usefulness of the pot lies in its emptiness.” We are like empty pots, made to be filled. When the pot is empty, we don’t say, “Stupid pot, worthless pot, I am going to get rid of this thing.” NO! We know that eventually, we will need that pot to boil water for noodles, hold soil to grow flowers, cook a stew, or clean the kitchen floor. Cups, pots and buckets were all designed to hold something…and so were you.
What if emptiness were actually a sign?
What if emptiness were actually a sign that we need to be filled? The only question is, “What will you fill your soul with?” We must put the right gas in the car if we want it to run correctly. I would suggest that only God can sufficiently fill the emptiness we feel.
C.S. Lewis observes, “God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.” I believe the emptiness is a mechanism to point us to Himself.
St. Augustine once wrote, “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” Jesus calls Himself the “Living Water,” and then He invites anyone who is thirsty to drink and be filled. (John 4:10, John 7:37, 38)
There are healthy things in this world that can help us fill the void in our souls. These healthy things can be a great friendship, a loving spouse, children, grandchildren, meaningful work, a fun hobby, or a walk in nature; however, we must never make the mistake of counting on them for our ultimate happiness.
His gifts were never designed to do that. C.S. Lewis explains, “I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise or be unthankful for these earthly blessings, and on the other hand, never mistake them for something else of which they are only a kind of copy or echo or mirage.”
Only God can fill the emptiness in a lasting way. Have you turned to Him? Perhaps instead of looking towards the things of this world to solve the riddle of your emptiness, maybe it’s time to look up to Him and drink from the fountain that never runs dry and be satisfied.
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