Ultimately, there are no true atheists. Those who claim atheism may be unwilling to acknowledge this about themselves, but God has given to every person a heavy burden. In the deep recesses of their being, they know that God is—and it is the very “is-ness” of God which creates a dilemma in men’s and women’s hearts and minds.

God created the world, and He made it beautiful in all of its perfection. God also made mankind to know Him, to commune with Him, to walk with Him in the garden, and to enjoy all the benefits of His companionship. But man turned his back on the Designer, and as a result the perception of eternity that has been implanted within us now largely tyrannizes and tests us.

People naturally seek to repress a knowledge of God (Romans 1:18-19), but a knowledge of God is inescapable. God has created us for a divine purpose—to know and worship Him—and unless we discover and fulfill that purpose, we will never be fully satisfied with anything else offered along life’s journey. No relationship with a child, parent, spouse, lover, or friend can fulfill this great longing, nor can any experience, any possession, or any achievement. This is the burden that God has laid on humanity: we will be forever dissatisfied until we come to know the only thing that can bear the weight of our eternity—namely, to know Him and live in fellowship with Him.

You and I, who are creatures of time, were made for eternity. We were made for God’s presence. It should therefore be no surprise to us that when we turn away from Him, our lives are marked by frustration and confusion. When we choose to live in the dark, we lose our sight. The day that we finally acknowledge this is a great day. The burden of being without God will weigh you down until you realize there has to be an answer somewhere, in someone else. And, of course, there is.

There are many things in this life that are beautiful, and we are free to enjoy them in accordance with the way God designed us to. But there is nothing in this life that is ultimate, and we will not be free until we not only acknowledge this intellectually but live it out in our experience. Is there something that you are determined to have, or to get, in your life because you think it will make you truly alive and fulfilled? What is it that you feel you could not live, or could not be happy, without? Be careful not to allow something good to become your god. Instead, place your ultimate hopes on the shoulders of the only one who is strong enough to bear them: the Eternal One.