IrContent

Do all men have, as Pascal is said to have put it, a ‘God-shaped vacuum?’ That is, a hole in their soul that longs for God but that people try to fill up with other things in their denial of Him? It’s an interesting question. Here are just some thoughts, not a definitive answer.

To begin with, despite the innumerable “quotes” of Pascal on the internet, he did not in fact say “there is a God-shaped vacuum” in anyone. What he said was . . .

“All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. . . . And yet, after such a great number of years, no one without faith has reached the point to which all continually look. . . . A trial so long, so continuous, and so uniform, should certainly convince us of our inability to reach the good by our own efforts. . . . [yet] he in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present . . . But these are all inadequate, because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself.”
(Pensees 6.425)

and . . .

What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.
(Pensees 10.14

Thus the hole Pascal speaks of here is, from the human perspective, “happiness-shaped.” The problem arises when evangelists confuse this with the idea that people are intentionally searching for God, when it is really happiness they seek. That one can only find ultimate happiness in God is a separate matter.

Then we have the Scripture verse that is often brought into play: Ecclesiastes 3:11 where God’s placing of “eternity in their heart” is said to be equivalent to the God-shaped hole inside of all people. But this may not be what the verse is actually speaking about. The preaching that usually accompanies such a quote follows along the lines of people who spend their lives looking for something to fill their God-shaped vacuum. Without God, they will try to fill the hole with with sexual immorality, work, relationships, drugs, etc., remaining unfulfilled and wondering why their lives never seem satisfactory. We are then told that the key to evangelism is to get people to admit to this problem, show them that nothing will ever satisfy them besides God, and then proceed to the gospel. But what exactly does it mean to have “eternity in one’s heart”?

We might begin by asking if this is even what the Bible says. There is some debate as to what word this is (the Hebrew olam or ‘elim) and which of several definitions should be used of either. For example we have:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (NIV)“He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (KJV)“God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.” (NET)

None of these seem to be clearly referring to any kind of internal desire that all people have for God, even if the word is “eternity”. And the context does not suggest in any case that the author was necessarily leading up to this point.

Further, with all due respect to Pascal (who I think is being misquoted), I see several problems with the idea that all people are made with a longing for God. First, the Bible does not paint a very pretty picture of an unsaved person’s desires. Rather, it says that people have hearts that are full of evil (Ecc. 9:3), that they do not seek God (Rom. 3:10-18), and that man’s desire can lead to sin (Rom. 7; James 1:14).

Second, I clearly remember my “B.C.” days (having been saved as an adult) and I was definitely not seeking to fill any God-shaped vacuum. I came to Christ in fear and trembling - aware that I was in big trouble if God was really perfect and would judge me for my unbelief. I was not simply responding to my everyday dissatisfaction with life. Not only that, but I desired many of the same things I still do - security, safety, soundness . . . and although I have learned that I must trust God for my needs (met or not) I still desire these things. I think most people are the same way.

Third, what a lot of people who preach this message do not seem to realize is how unique were Qohelet’s (the author of Ecclesiastes) circumstances. How many people today can exhaust themselves on riches, women, food, drink, learning, etc.? We all probably make a lot more money than we did five years ago but we still want more, right? Even if we are not greedy, I think we can all admit that doubling our pay would be more satisfactory! The trouble is that we won’t find out that it doesn’t until we get it. Besides, even if we get the money we’ll just think that a newer car, or a thinner spouse, or a shorter drive to work, or any number of things will satisfy more. The fact is that it is extremely difficult to find someone who has sampled enough of the world to be convinced that they will never get enough to find true happiness in this world. Finding someone who has hit rock bottom abusing themselves is another thing, of course, but that only pushes the starting point to below zero - the same desires still apply.

So in conclusion I do think that man was made with a desire for happiness - virtually all great thinkers agree with this. Further, it is certainly the case that it is only God (Who is infinite, eternal, unchanging, etc.) Who can, ultimately, fill that longing. But I think it is a mistake to act as though unbelievers are out there groping for God and all we need to do is tap into that and we will gain converts. There is just too much potential in this world, especially in America, for additional satisfaction (how ever short-lived). But we can argue from this innate desire that unless existence is a cruel joke there must be an ultimate satisfaction to be found. And that ultimate is God.