A reflection on the inner emptiness many feel—and how it's a sign that your soul is made for God
"If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."
— C.S. Lewis, former atheist turned Catholic-influenced Christian author
The Restlessness You Can’t Ignore
There’s a silence that speaks louder than noise.
It creeps in at night.
It surfaces after the party ends.
It rises when success doesn't satisfy, when relationships don’t complete us, when distractions lose their appeal.
It’s not depression. It’s not boredom.
It’s something deeper:
A gnawing emptiness that whispers, “There must be more.”
This ache inside — a subtle yet persistent restlessness — is not a defect.
It’s a signal.
You were made for more than this world.
What Is This Ache, Really?
Psychologists, philosophers, and poets have all tried to name it: longing, existential dread, the "God-shaped hole." But the Christian tradition has always seen this for what it truly is:
“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
— St. Augustine, former hedonist, philosopher, and one of the greatest minds in history
Augustine didn’t theorize this from an ivory tower. He lived the restlessness.
As a brilliant rhetorician and pleasure-seeker in 4th century Rome, he chased every answer the world could offer — sex, fame, politics, philosophy — and still he came up empty.
It wasn’t until he encountered Truth Himself, Jesus Christ, that the ache inside him was finally silenced.
This Isn’t Sentimental. It’s Logical.
Today’s culture often says this kind of longing is just a psychological trick — the result of primitive survival instincts or childhood trauma.
But let’s test that idea with reason.
“The longing for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God.”
— Catechism of the Catholic Church, §27
If hunger implies food, and thirst implies water — why would this spiritual hunger point to nothing?
“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.”
— C.S. Lewis
This desire for perfect love, lasting peace, truth that doesn’t change, and a home that can’t be taken away — it doesn’t come from nowhere. It’s not absurd to think that it points to something real.
It’s absurd to think that evolution randomly programmed humans to ache for a reality that doesn't exist.
The Philosophers Who Ached — Then Believed
🔍 Dr. Edward Feser, former atheist and philosopher:
After years of teaching philosophy and rejecting the supernatural, he realized materialism couldn’t explain being itself — or the ache within the human soul.
“It is not that atheism is rational. It’s that atheists are uncomfortable with the consequences of God being real.”
— Five Proofs of the Existence of God
Feser’s return to theism — and eventually to Catholicism — was based on logic, metaphysics, and clear reasoning, not feelings.
💡 Jennifer Fulwiler, former atheist and data analyst:
She described her restlessness as unbearable, especially after the birth of her child.
“I had everything I was supposed to want. A loving husband, a good career, financial security. And yet—I was drowning in meaninglessness.”
She began reading the Catechism, watching debates, and testing the claims of the Catholic Church against science, logic, and history.
Her conclusion?
“It was the only belief system that explained the fullness of reality — both the ache and the answer.”
Why the World Can’t Fill the Void
Social media, pleasure, self-help mantras, productivity — they offer temporary distractions. But the ache always returns. That’s not weakness. That’s your soul remembering its origin.
Even atheists have admitted this.
🧠 Julian Barnes, agnostic author:
“I don’t believe in God, but I miss Him.”
Why miss something that doesn’t exist? Why long for a truth we claim is a myth?
Because truth is not an idea. Truth is a Person.
Why Catholicism — and Not Just Generic “Spirituality”?
Anyone can feel spiritual. But feelings fade. The Catholic Church is not just about warm feelings — it’s about truth grounded in reality:
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Philosophical clarity (Aquinas, Feser, Kreeft)
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Historical continuity (apostolic succession, miracles, martyrs)
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Sacramental grace (concrete encounters with God in Baptism, Confession, Eucharist)
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Moral consistency (truth that doesn’t change with trends)
No other faith has stood so firm against the waves of time and culture. Because it was not invented by men — it was founded by Christ Himself.
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
— John 6:35
Don’t Let Fallacies Keep You From Truth
It’s common for non-believers — even well-meaning ones — to resort to emotional arguments, mockery, or personal attacks when confronted with the possibility of God.
But don’t let these tactics distract you.
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Mockery is not a refutation.
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Slogans are not arguments.
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Hostility is not evidence.
Truth doesn’t scream. It whispers.
And if you’re still restless — that whisper is calling.
A Gentle Call to the Wandering
You’re not broken. You’re not crazy.
You’re homesick for a home you’ve never seen.
That ache is not a curse — it’s a compass.
Let it lead you.
Ask the hard questions. Read with courage. Pray, even if you don’t yet believe. God is not offended by your doubt. He’s reaching through it.
“Knock, and the door will be opened to you.”
— Matthew 7:7
Next Steps for the Seeker:
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Read Confessions by St. Augustine (start with Book I)
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Watch Journey Home stories on EWTN
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Read The Case for God by Dr. Edward Feser or Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
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Visit a Catholic church and sit in silence
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Ask yourself honestly: What if this restlessness is a gift — not a flaw?
Your soul is not empty.
It’s waiting.
And the One who made it is waiting too.
Come home.
