It is said that we have a God-shaped hole in our hearts. We know the hole is there because we feel incomplete; what we don’t know is how to fill it!

Back in the fall of 2022, my wife and I went on a quest to adopt a pet. It was me who wanted a pet, and since my wife felt that a companion pet would perhaps serve to brighten my days a bit, she was not only onboard with the idea, but she wanted me to choose my new friend. The problem was, I didn’t know what kind of a pet I wanted. One week I wanted a cat, and my wife would take me to all the local cat shelters to find the right one for us; but then the next week I was convinced it was a dog we needed, and my wife’s search would begin anew. 

After oscillating back and forth for a number of weeks, I could tell my wife was becoming frustrated with my indecision. It was time to get off the fence and choose. And I did. I told her it was a cat I wanted. 

“Are you sure?” she asked. “You’re not going to change your mind again?”

“I’m sure!” I assured her. “I want a cat!”

Unfortunately all the local animal shelters were fresh out of cats for adoption! Much research later, my wife found a private cat rescue. She went to great lengths to set up an appointment for us to visit the kitties, even providing a vet recommendation to ensure we would be good pet owners. 

The big day arrived, and so did we. We were welcomed at the door by the owner who introduced us to a few of her resident animals, two dogs and several cats. She then took us downstairs where she had her adoptable kitties, and it wasn’t long before three or four of them had chosen me as their new owner. The only problem was, I had seen the kitty I wanted upstairs, and none of these cats downstairs came even close to the “perfect” pet I had already seen! 

I could tell my wife was getting frustrated again by the way she kept asking me how I liked this cat or that one. And believe me, they were all sweet cats. But this wasn’t what I wanted! “I want the big cat upstairs!” I insisted. 

Finally my wife took me by the hand. “Come,” she said. “Show me the one you want!”

She led me back upstairs where we were immediately greeted by the owner’s pet dog. “This is it!” I said, excitement creeping into my voice. “This is the cat for me!”

Before we go farther, please understand that I was diagnosed with dementia several years ago, and my speech and comprehension were the first things affected. While I was saying “cat”, my brain was registering “dog”, and I couldn’t understand why my wife was putting all those kitties on my lap! 

But at last the truth was out, and I’m not sure which of my wife’s emotions was the strongest: Her frustration for our breakdown in communication, or her relief. My wife has always been a dog-lover and a cat-tolerater, and it was her secret hope that a dog would win…

This made us think … There are so many hurting people in the world, people seeking relief from the pain of everyday life. Just like I knew I wanted a pet, they know there issomething missing, even if they don’t know what! And so they seek after something to fill the hole in their hearts: drugs, alcohol, sex, food, etc.; or they try to distract themselves from the emptiness by burying themselves in work or hobbies, by separating themselves from life. Meanwhile, the perfect “cat” is the “big one upstairs”! Our hearts aren’t aching for worldly things! They are aching for our Creator, our Lord, our Saviour, the One who loves us beyond imagination! Check out these Bible verses: “My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.” (Isaiah 26:9a NIV); “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalms 42:2 NIV). 

Meanwhile, God is also out searching for us! As Jesus said, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” (Luke 15:4-6 NIV)

Don’t waste any more days searching for “The big One upstairs”, friends! God is the “Big One upstairs”, the One who calls to you and seeks after you, the only One who can fill the void in your life: “Jesus said, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” (John 6:35 NIV)! Don’t play with the “cats” of life any longer! Ask God into your life now! You won’t regret it! Remember, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” (Ps. 145:18-19 NIV)

To permanently fill the hole in your heart, to satisfy the longing in your spirit, we invite you to click here!

Inspired by Rob Chaffart
Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries