Lessons for Living

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

― Blaise Pascal, Pensees

This time of year as Americans have just celebrated Thanksgiving and as we prepare for the Advent season I’ve been thinking a lot about the subject of gratitude.

I’ve been hearing a good deal lately about what people are grateful for. What I hear them saying reveals a lot about them.

This famous quote from Pascal is worth some reflection in this season of the year. In our most grateful moments, we who  have grown up and lived in an environment of relative affluence must admit that our possessions and comfortable lifestyles tend to capture our hearts and drive our ambitions, probably much more than we realize.

I have heard Pascal’s observation quoted most often in reference to those without a personal faith in God, or more specifically a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It makes perfect sense that those without an awareness of God’s personal activity in their lives will feel a sense of emptiness in life and will feverishly seek to “fill the void” with whatever seems to satisfy – even if it is only temporary. This would explain the proliferation of various addictions which plague so many of us in today’s world.

In my own naive way of thinking, I have generally felt that people of faith have an advantage over those who don’t because of their acknowledgment of the “God shaped vacuum” and of necessity desire a personal relationship with God throughout life. I’m now realizing that it’s not quite so simple.

I have just finished reading two books on the subject of addiction and recovery. One is a classic work by Gerald May entitled  “Addiction and Grace.”  May’s work  almost reads like a devotional book in that he demonstrates in compelling ways that most people who overcome addictions do so by having some kind of personal encounter with God. In short, he explains that all addictions are simply various forms of “attachment.” Objects of addiction become idols and substitute “gods” in our lives and are always destructive. God Himself, May explains, never allows Himself to be used as an object of attachment as He is constantly seeking to be known in relationship.

When we “give thanks” for our possessions and the trappings of our creature-comforts we often expose the very things that have become attachments and objects of worship in our own lives. I am not saying that we should not be grateful for these things. I am saying that we need to be more focused on The Giver of all good things.

In my own personal journey with God, I would have to say that I am coming through a season in which God has been exposing idols in my own life. This is why May’s book made such an impression on me.

Back as a young man of sixteen I remember the day in Sunday School that I “gave my heart to Jesus.”  Later after hearing about the “God shaped vacuum” I began to think, “Great! Now my problems are solved! I had this vacuum inside and now it’s completely filled. I’ll be satisfied in life from now on!”

What I neglected to realize is that God continues to fill the void only if I allow Him to do so on a day-to-day, moment-by-moment arrangement. I’m not talking here about my eternal destiny – that is a completed transaction. I’m talking about a heart response to what God offers me of Himself every moment of every day.

When we get focused on all the “stuff” that our Heavenly Father provides for us, we can miss the reality that every moment He provides us with His presence and life in its fullness apart from possessions and earthly pleasures.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a long, long way from defeating all the idols and attachments in my own life that challenge my devotion to Jesus Christ. But I think this is one of the first Thanksgivings in a long time that I’m leaning toward being more grateful for God Himself and His activity in my life rather than just starting and stopping with a shopping list of all He’s provided for me.

Obviously all the people and possessions that our Father gives to us should draw us back to Him in gratitude. But I’m finding that God is always in the business of revealing the emptiness that is and would be part of my life if not for His continuing, abiding presence.

At this very “full” time of the year may you allow God into whatever circumstance you are facing just now and find Him filling the empty spaces of your heart. For His abiding presence and personal touch in our lives we can all be truly grateful.