The Jesus-shaped hole in our lives

Following on from my last post, another reason I wanted to give up my news-junkie ways is that so much of the news is really non-news and most of the time, I  got annoyed with the slant of the reporting, the awful grammar or the sheer 'un-news-worthiness' of many of the articles. Things are written to simply distract us. Articles about celebrities, the majority of whom I have never even heard of, doing seemingly normal, everyday things that fills up the news reels. I wonder how we have come to this point of spending what must add up to hours each week, reading pointless drivel. Again, we're letting junk into our hearts and minds, and the media spin is always on a superficial issue - somebody's weight gain, weight loss, plastic surgery, affair....the list is endless and vain.

There's a recurring theme I've found though from my news-reading days, and the celebrity-filled news sections have actually been a bit of a revelation and the main reason for this post. Even though I didn't (and still don't) know most of the celebrities featured, there's a very clear conclusion I have come to: no matter how much wealth, fame, outward beauty or popularity one can have, there's something missing that the money cannot buy that so often leads these "celebrities" to drink, drugs or addictions and even to compulsive affairs or plastic surgery.  Obviously it's not limited to those who are celebs, or those who have money, as millions of people fall into these traps looking for something better - that magic key that will bring them true happiness or contentment.  Yet, the simple truth is that there's a Jesus-shaped hole in people's lives which they try and fill with .....stuff. They look for that missing piece in a relationship (or multiple relationships), money, careers, success, status, houses, or in things like alcohol or drugs thinking these things will make them happy, or fill the gap that they know is deep within. But that gap will only be filled when you meet Jesus. When there's a longing or a yearning inside, when you think life will be better when the bank balance is higher, or when you're slimmer or younger-looking or have a better career, or a partner.....actually, that yearning will never be fulfilled until you meet Jesus. Society is so focused on material things, the world is becoming so superficial. We have more stuff than ever - gadgets that supposedly make life easier, things that entertain us (think phones and tablets). Yet people are more miserable than ever and the more stuff we accumulate, the more things we fill our lives with to try and fill the missing piece, the more miserable we actually become and the more we seek after yet more material stuff to fill that void. We always seem to think the grass is greener on the other side, that new partner will be the "one", that new house will bring happiness....but truth is, without Him, there's not even any grass, it's just a weedy wasteland.

There is a Jesus shaped hole in our lives, whether we realise it or not.. It doesn't matter if you have a little or have a lot. You could have financial security, stability, family, good health, career, friends.....it's still empty without Him. We're made in His image, for relationship with Him. That's our purpose - that's why we're here. So until we find that purpose in our lives, there'll always be a Jesus shaped hole in our lives.