"He that believeth in Me... out of him shall flow..." John 7:38
Our lives are designed as containers. Not to fill and contain; but with the purpose to be poured out and given away to others.
How silly it would be to fill my water pitcher at home, but never pour it out to satisfy thirst and replenish the physical needs of people.
In the same way, how can I view my life as a pitcher, but never pour it out to satisfy the thirst and replenish the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people around me?
Let's face it, the pouring out and emptying of our lives can be a little scary. Particularly when we view ourselves as the source of what we give. We try to think how much more can I give, I mean I need to take care of myself too...
And while there is a necessary 're-filling' for the pitcher for more to be poured out, what I've found is that He who calls me to pour out my life is well able to keep filling! When Jesus is my source of life (rather than myself) I can trust there will always be more than enough to give to others.
And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail."
Isaiah 58:11
Living our best lives is not about containing; but rather learning the rhythm of being filled and poured out... filled and poured out... filled and poured out. To him be the glory.
Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Ephesians 1:4
We live in two worlds; the interior and the exterior. The interior is hidden and often remains unseen, or so we think. In actuality, I believe what we see - the exterior of our life - is directly related to the condition of our interior life.
If this premise is true, it is a crucial consideration for us as we consider living life at its best and bringing about the changes we see necessary to achieve this.
More often than not, we consistently address our exterior lives when seeking change. We seek training, set goals, address challenges, and more. All of this is very good and necessary.
However, if we do not take into consideration the interior aspect of our lives; we will find ourselves getting exhausted, falling short, re-addressing issues and never truly living our best lives. Once we begin to address "the thing behind the thing", we can experience a freedom and inspiration that will literally feed the exterior life and change we are seeking.
If change is hard, I suggest taking time to consider your interior life. Ask yourself what is behind the exterior change you are desiring. Here are a few questions to get you started:
- What do I believe about this?
- What am I afraid of?
- Why am I doing this?
- Where does my strength come from?
As you sit with these questions, may they propel you more fully into who you were created to be and the exterior changes you seek come naturally. May you find yourself living your best life ever.
Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1
I will build my house and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18
There is something quite restful when we surrender our lives to the Lord as builder. When we come to the end of ourselves and realize it's about His much bigger hands building what only He can build.
However, it's not an easy place to get to. It's a sifting process, in which we allow Him to define and re-define our lives. It means letting go of our own building materials and putting down the hammer of knowing what we need and want to accomplish in our lives.
It means embracing the amazing work of grace that brings dimensions and depths to our lives that can come no other way. It means the fullness of living - not in vain - and not overcome by hell's onslaught.
It is for His glory and the stewarding of His grace in Christ, an invitation to live life at its best.
Where have you been laboring that needs to be put in the Builder's Hands?
