The Hole in My Heart: A Physical Discovery and Spiritual Reminder
- Lynnette Buck
- Jun 29
- 4 min read
About a year ago, my eyes became increasingly sensitive to the sun. This is a particularly bad situation when you live in sunny Arizona! I ended up at my doctor's office to see if there was a medical issue causing this. My doctor sent me for blood work and an MRI. The blood work showed that there was a possibility of a blood-clotting disorder, for which I can now say, after months of testing, that I do not have. But the MRI showed that I have had a very small stroke in the balance area of the brain! This was scary and unexpected news for someone in their 40s who has always been healthy with no reason why they would have a stroke.
My neurologist sent me to a cardiologist. They ordered that I wear a heart monitor for two weeks and have an echocardiogram. When it was time for me to return to the office to get my results, I seriously thought they were going to tell me all was well, and I would ask, “Why didn’t you just call and tell me that?” However, it turned out that my heart monitoring was ok, but I had a hole in my heart! This was definitely news and a good reason for having me come into the office.
Mayo Clinic describes this type of hole by saying, “As a baby grows in the womb, an opening called the foramen ovale (foh-RAY-mun oh-VAY-lee) sits between the upper heart chambers. It typically closes during infancy. When the foramen ovale doesn't close, it's called a patent foramen ovale.”* This type of hole can be found in about 25% of people; however, most people never know, because it doesn’t normally cause problems for them. For me, it means that something may have gone through there that should not have and ended up in my brain and caused the small stroke. After further testing, it was decided that closure of the hole was necessary to help prevent future issues.
Ever since I found out about this hole in my heart, I have been thinking about the Christian metaphor that we are all born with a hole that can only be filled by God. We are all born with a literal hole in our hearts that should close as babies, but even though it is not specifically a biblical quote, it is clear from Scripture that there is a restlessness, emptiness, and longing in each person. This equates to something missing, a hole in our hearts. We all try to close that hole with something, and some never learn that this hole can only be filled by a relationship with God.
Before the Fall in Genesis 3, there was no hole because there was perfect communion between Adam, Eve, and God. Since then, the human race has tried many ways to fill the hole left by the broken relationship in the garden. This is nothing new. The book of Ecclesiastes tells us that the good things in life, like accomplishments and enjoyment, are meaningful; however, they do not fully satisfy and leave us empty.
In Acts 17:16-34, Paul is waiting in Athens when he sees that the city is full of idols, including one with the inscription, “to an unknown god.” They had so many idols to worship, but something was missing. We may not have idols standing along the roads or even altars to gods in our homes, but we often try to fill this void with status, success, beauty, wealth, material things, and relationships, just to name a few.
Paul says, 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth… Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else… 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” (Acts 17:24-28 NIV)
The gods of our culture cannot satisfy or fill us any more than the statues of gods that existed in Athens or anywhere else. The only one who can truly satisfy our hearts and lives is our creator, sustainer, and personal God. God promises, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV).
Reflection Questions:
The Physical Hole: Have you ever had a health scare or unexpected diagnosis that revealed something “hidden” in your body? What did that experience teach you about how fragile life is?
Modern Idols: Paul saw idols everywhere in Athens. What are some of the “idols” or false gods that people in our culture (or even in your own life) chase today to try to satisfy that inner emptiness?
The Spiritual Hole: In what ways have you felt a “hole” or restlessness in your own heart? What have you tried to use to fill it (success, relationships, money, busyness, etc.)?
Before and After the Fall: Think about Adam and Eve’s perfect relationship with God before sin entered the world. How does that help you understand why we feel this longing today?
Seeking God: Jeremiah 29:13 says God promises we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart. On a scale of 1–10, how wholeheartedly are you currently seeking God? What might “seeking with all your heart” look like for you right now?
P.S. None of this turned out to be the cause of my sensitive eyes, but I consider it the goodness of God that He allowed that to happen so I would discover this stroke before another occurred.
I would love to hear your answers and questions! Feel free to answer these on your own or email me at lynnettebuckministries@gmail.com. Also, sign up for further devotionals at https://www.lynnettebuckministries.org/subscribe
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