Rediscovering The Truth About Creation

The second criterion pertains to the spiritual void which exists within the heart of the nonbeliever. If God exists NOW, then the individual without Him must realize that something is missing from his or her life. Those who are without the Lord will experience an emptiness which cannot be satisfied by the things of this world.

As this criterion is examined, one should note that making such determinations are difficult on my part because one individual cannot easily read, much less prove, another's heart. Explaining how someone else might recognize or respond to an inner feeling of emptiness is not easy. Therefore, this part of the analysis shall proceed along two fairly simple paths. First, I will briefly explain the feelings and emotions which I had felt before coming to the Lord. While those feelings may not apply universally to all, they do, at least, provide a basis for understanding the second criterion. Then, I will share a passage from the Bible which clearly identifies that thing which is actually missing from many people's lives. Please note as with the first criterion that the Bible will only be used to better explain a spiritual truth, not to prove that truth!

In looking at my own life, I ask my reader to recall my remarks from the opening chapter. At that time, in speaking about my own problems in 1967, I shared that I knew that something was wrong in my life but that I could not identify what that something was. During a surface-level analysis of my circumstances, I had examined some obvious factors of my early years, such as my home life and my personal environment. Yet, I had not been able to blame such things for my difficulties because they had not been at fault. My real problem, even though I had not seen it at the time, had turned out to be something inside of me, or more accurately something "not inside of me"! None of my problems had actually been caused by the more obvious, external factors of my life. When I had been experiencing so many conflicting, confusing emotions, it had really been because I was coming face to face with a mysterious, spiritual void which had existed in my own heart, and while I could not look at others and judge their predicament, I could, at least, look at myself and tell that something was definitely not right about me!

The void which was in my heart had been there long before I ever realized it. In fact, I now know that my pursuit of such a devious lifestyle during those earlier times had really only been my feeble attempt to satisfy that inner feeling of emptiness. Something inside of me had not felt right, so I had reacted by doing wild, crazy things to try to make it right. I had been seeking ways to fill my own void, but those attempts had not worked! I simply could not get for myself that thing or those things for which my heart so desperately yearned. Through all my futile attempts, though, I learned a very important truth, namely that one cannot be easily appeased by reckless behavior! Rather than helping me to deal with my frustrations, all my shenanigans had really done was lead me into mischief. Then, that in turn had led me into even more mischief. By the time that I finally reached the end of that road, I had flunked out of college, gotten myself off to a terrible start within the employment world, and started making some unwise personal acquaintances. Even then, however, I was only starting to come to grips with a second, undeniable truth, which is that getting oneself into trouble does not bring satisfaction, either!

In the opening chapter, I stated that I had gone too far on the wrong road! My basic character flaw had been that I was an extremist. An important contrast to consider is that non-extremist who is also on the same wrong road. Not everyone who delves in a little mischief and wrongdoing goes as far as I, while some, of course, go much farther! What is really important for a person to see in all of this is that how much actual trouble one makes for oneself is not the essential point of this second criterion. The point is that all people without the Lord are in a type of "search mode," where they are looking for that something in life which has meaning.

How each person proceeds with that search or tries to satisfy that need is usually determined by individual personality, circumstances, and opportunities. For me, the search had led to mischief and wrongdoing, and for a while, I had even felt that I was getting away with something, that is until I finally reached the end of the road. For others, the search for meaning may come from burying oneself in various good works, while for others it may come from doing a wide assortment of bad things, such as selling or abusing drugs, stealing, committing murder, or performing other activities which bring harm and hurt to humanity. The point of this second criterion is not to discuss what people might do in an attempt to satisfy their inner void. It is that all people without God are looking for ways to fill something inside of them which feels empty!

Because I, for a long time, had experienced such emotions, I can now understand this second condition for knowing that God exists. During my difficult years, I simply had not been able to figure out what was happening to me or my life. Now, over twenty-eight years later, I can share the following passage from the Bible and proclaim that these words unlock the whole mystery:

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you [1].

That all-important "something" which distinguishes the godly from the ungodly can be seen in the above excerpt. He is the Holy Spirit of God! Note the words which have been underlined! They describe the Spirit of God as "living in you." Logically speaking, the void that I had felt before coming to the Lord, one which is always felt by others, was that part of my internal being which could have, but did not possess, the Holy Spirit. To carry this thought just a bit further, it was the absence of that Spirit from my inner being which had been causing me to feel and experience so much discomfort!

Trying to fill the void in one's heart can lead in many directions - some good, some bad! The actual direction is not really important to this part of the discussion, though. What is important is having that inner peace and comfort which comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God. Most scientists and scholars cannot comprehend such a concept! They tend to characterize Christianity as a way of life which is based largely on emotion. Yet, while emotion does play a part, it is far from being the main product.

Christianity is not about feelings and emotions nearly so much as it is about possession, possession of the Holy Spirit of God. In another portion of Scriptures, John 14:15-29, the Holy Spirit is called a Comforter because He brings peace and joy to individuals who live in a world where there is very little or no peace and joy. In reality, it is this true peace and joy for which most people actually seek, a point which brings us back to where we started. If God exists NOW, then the individual who is without Him must realize that something is missing from his or her life.

To satisfy that inner void, many chase after a great career, wealth, power, or any of a number of other earthly pursuits, only to learn years later that those gains cannot fill that emptiness. It is only through the Holy Spirit of God that one can really achieve true peace and joy and, at the same time, overcome that longing for more. This unsettling realization from within that something is not quite right is significant because it is a sensation or feeling which points to an individual's personal need. This realization from within is also a great blessing because it provides to everyone the most positive and probably purest proof that God really exists! The point being made here is simple. Not only is God the One Who put that feeling of emptiness inside each of us in the first place, but He is also the only One Who can really fill it.

Thus, while this second criterion might be more difficult to show than was the first, it is clearly an important way for all to know that God is real and current. Interestingly enough, another significant truth in all of this can be seen which is also difficult to prove. Those who have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within do not need further evidence that God exists. The cry for a proof about God only comes from those who do not really know Him!