Filling Up and Pouring Out

After realizing I haven’t posted a blog in a few months, I began to think about what I could write on.  By writing different blogs, one thing I have realized is that sometimes it is just best to write about what I am personally learning in my current season of life.

That being said, recently I have had to give myself a wake-up call.  Stress can cause people to do many things, and for me, it was filling myself up with all of the wrong things.  Now don’t get me wrong, I had the best intentions.  But these best intentions actually led to me pouring gossip, impatience, frustration, and other negative things into myself.  By doing so, those were the things that began to pour out of me.  I realized I was not acting in ways that point back to Christian standards. 

So, what did I do?  I sat and watched two sermons.  I took notes.  I listened.  I filled myself up with scripture.  Honestly, I realized I needed to reevaluate my life and my priorities.  My time spent reading my Bible each day had become more of a chore than quiet time spent with The Father. 

One sermon I watched was titled “Broken Spirit” and it fit perfectly with what I needed to hear.  Recently, I have experienced a lot of pain and disappointment in life (that also probably factored into me filling myself up with worldly things).  One quote stuck out to me in the sermon:

“God sends pain and disappointment to remind us we aren’t the main character, and we don’t get to write the plot.”

                

This was a huge eye opener for me.  No matter how hard we try, we don’t get to determine the course of our life.  That is in God’s control.  But even the pain we experience in life can have an amazing outcome.  The story of the Israelites leaving Egypt to go to the Promise Land is a perfect example.  Those people endured a whole lot of tribulation, but the end result was what made it count.  The pain we go through in life is never “just because.”  It has a reason behind it, whether it is to teach us something or to help us grow in faith. 

Another thing I learned about disappointment is that we tend to lose sight of God’s goodness.  Maybe half-hearted disobedience led to the disappointment, and we end up doubting the amazing things God can do.  Also, I’ve realized that sometimes I need to recognize my limitations.  I’m human, and I definitely can’t do everything.  So while I may want to plan and accomplish good things, sometimes too much of that can lead to disappointment.  Maybe I put too much on my plate and end up unable to finish some of the tasks.  I need to humble myself before God and rest in his hands when I fail. 

               

Lamentations 3:16-26