From the very first chapter of Genesis, it’s clear that a relationship with God is the foundation that we must build everything in our lives on. If we try to build on anything else, we’re building on quicksand, because sooner or later, the other things we put our trust in will fail us. We were created with an intense hunger for a relationship with God, and if we don’t hold on to that relationship, we’ll feel an inner void and loneliness. And if we don’t turn back to God to fill it, we’ll try (unsuccessfully) to fill it with these things: 1) People. Having the right people in our lives can help fulfil our need for love and emotional intimacy, but no one other than God can fill the spiritual emptiness within us. 2) Things. Having material things can give us comfort and convenience. Having money can give us options to do good. But we can have material things and still be lonely and unhappy. 3) Religion. God’s not interested in religion; He’s interested in having a relationship with us. Religion only becomes significant when it enhances that relationship, which it doesn’t always do. We can often find that religious rules and regulations become a deterrent to a relationship with God. The Bible is filled with religious people who were so focused on rule-keeping that they missed connecting with God altogether. We need to be careful that we don’t become so preoccupied with other people, chasing material things, or following religious ideologies, that we forget that what really matters most is a personal, intimate, daily, talking-and-listening relationship with God.

What Now?

Ask God to show you if you’ve built your life on foundations other than Him. Pray that whenever you’re feeling lonely and empty, you’d turn to Him first.