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…
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.
