Come...Fill my cup Lord

While exercising this week, I found a purple Play-doh container lying beside the sidewalk. Immediately, I picked it up because it reminded of a purple Play-doh teacup I had made at my Life group meeting. Our task had been to sculpt something about our Christian life. I had been going through a season of transition and was asking the Lord to fill my cup for the days ahead.

As I placed the Play-doh container on the shelf next to the sculpted cup, I sensed the Lord forming two questions for me to consider.

First God asked…

Is your cup empty? 

What does it mean to have an empty cup? An empty cup means I have come to the point in my life where I am draining out self…my self-reliance, ambitions, opinions, speculations, and fears of the future. I have realized I can do nothing without Christ. (John 15:5)

In other words, it is only when I have come to the end of myself that I am ready to receive the infilling of what Christ has to offer. There will not be room for both mindsets. If I try to acknowledge both, then I will become double minded and unstable in all my ways. (James 1:8). Plus, the scriptures clearly state:  I cannot serve two masters (self-centeredness and God). (Matthew 6:24)

Second God asked…

What do you want Me to fill your cup with?

Hummm…Do I want peace, wisdom, joy or humility? Actually, the Lord was asking me what was I willing to work towards in my daily life experiences? The Lord wanted my input but he also wanted my cooperation with His leadership. Each of the qualities I ask the Lord to fill me with will come with a price and a determination to overcome.

As I think about God filling me up, I can’t help but get excited about the possibilities of being more Christ-like. And yet, I am sober-minded about the effort and perseverance it will take to receive all He has to offer. I already know I will need to constantly remind myself throughout of this one thing. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13) At the same time, I will also be reminding myself that it is God’s good pleasure to give me the kingdom. (Luke 12:32) Developing more of the Lord’s character within will surely give me that overflowing cup I have asked for in the days ahead.

Are you ready to allow the Lord to fill your cup to overflowing? The Lord will not force you to do anything but He does wait for your heart to become open and teachable. You may tell yourself change is impossible. However, I have served the Lord long enough to know that you and your circumstances are not impossible. Therefore, I encourage you to begin your journey today by sending your cupped hands upward and saying:

Come…fill my cup Lord.

A Spot of Encouragement

Occasionally, we need to be encouraged to go forward with our passions in spite of our own personal fears and challenges. I went through one of those difficult times recently. I desperately needed a tangible sign from God that He would inspire my writing in the days ahead as I stepped out in faith to write for the public.

Our writers group had been given the prompt “To Go” by one of the members and it was due in a week.  As the week progressed, I had not been able to come up with any ideas. And now that it was the night before it was due, I was getting frustrated. Sometimes I think writer’s block permanently sits on my shoulder so he can make fun of me regularly. Finally, I plopped down on the couch to relax, calm my negative thinking and pray for inspiration. With my laptop in hand, I typed the title at the top of the page and waited. Before long with a burst of energy and a dab of anger, this poem emerged.

Going

I’m going to be a writer

Whether you like it or not.

Place the words in motion

In the order of my thoughts.

God will guide the process

As I search to find His will

He knows the lives He wants to touch

With the strokes of my holy quill.

There…I had gotten an idea written down.

Then what happened next was only something God could have orchestrated. When I centered the poem on the page as I often do, a shape appeared. Can you see the shape the poem makes?

I’m going to be a writer

Whether you like it or not.

Place the words in  motion

In the order of my thoughts.

God will guide the process

As I search to find His will

He knows the lives He wants to touch

With the strokes of my holy quill.

If you look closely and imagine a curvy handle on one side, then it becomes a perfect teacup and saucer. When I saw the image emerge, I was shocked and joyously surprised. Faith filled my soul. Then suddenly, it dawned on me. The lady who gave the prompt collects teacups and saucers! WOW! God had answered my prayer with a flare and helped me gain confidence again. Now, when the doubts and fears want to invade my mind, this poem has become the lasting testimony I need to overcome the enemy of my soul.

Are you going through something challenging! Have you allowed the threat of failure to invade your soul in the final hours? God knows our situations better then we do and He is committed to giving us all the encouragement, wisdom and resources we will need to overcome. Talk to Him…then be still and know that He is God.