Former Blackout Artist

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20

C.S. Lewis once said that if we find in ourselves a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, then maybe the reason is that we were made for another world.

That hits home for me.

He goes on to add: “If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise or be unthankful for these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of my life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.” – Mere Christianity (1952)

For many years I tried to fill that emptiness inside with drinking. I thought alcohol would give me peace, happiness, or at least dull the ache. But the truth is, the more I drank – the more empty and desperate I became. I was trying to fill a hole in my heart with everything except the one thing I needed the most, the only thing that could make me feel whole – God.

The good things in this life – family, friends, laughter, and even simple joys like beautiful sunsets – are blessings from God. But they were never meant to fully satisfy us. They’re just small tastes of the joy that’s waiting for us in heaven. But there is a real danger here also. We must never confuse the blessing with the One who gave it.

Lewis reminds us to never let our longing for heaven get buried under the noise of this world. That’s not easy! Life pulls at us in a hundred different directions. But the truth is, this world will never be enough.

Our hearts were built for eternity.

So today, let’s thank God for the blessings He gives us, but let’s also remember that our true home isn’t here. It’s with Him. And our job now is to keep pressing toward that heavenly home, and to help others find it too.

Today’s Prayer: Lord, I confess that sometimes I try to fill the emptiness inside with things that don’t last. Please forgive me for that. Thank You for reminding me that only You can satisfy the cravings of my heart. Keep me focused on heaven, and help me point others toward You. In Your Son’s precious and holy name, Amen.