“…instead, be filled with the Spirit…” Ephesians 5:18
ANTS! Yes, tiny, almost microscopic ants raided my kitchen cabinets this week. As one of my sons opened the Oreo package, a few harmless ants appeared. But at further inspection, we had a complete cabinet invasion! Item by item was removed, inspected and either placed on a table to be saved or in the garbage to be replaced or lost. We were left with…..emptiness….open cabinets, empty shelves, while we waited to see when it was safe to fill them and inventory what we had left.
Last week I shared how envy was creating some chaos and disorder in our home. Just like the cabinets, we too had to be emptied and in an effort to get to the root of envy, “screen time” was removed. Compared to many homes, some may say we don’t watch much screen time at all. I don’t have cable, limit tablet games to 15-20 minutes for my kids, but even those things were creeping in and distracting and stirring conflict. Without them, there was so much freedom. Fewer debates about what would be watched at what time. No ignored timers with abuse of tablet time. Best of all, there was quiet, time, and…..
“Emptiness”
Emptiness….a hole, a void….what do I now do with this time and space? An empty hollow feeling can be frightening at first as you spin looking from here to there wanting to be filled again, but emptiness is a beautiful thing, it allows for fresh start to begin anew again, filling oneself with the just right things.
Emptiness while often avoided at all costs is truly a gift. Starting anew leads to creation and new life. At first, I think my boys started to fill their empty spaces with me, “Mom, what do I do now?” or I witnessed aimless pacing. To which I was able to suggest several ways I allow God to fill me when I am stirring. I took my boys on a “quiet” walk. This ended with one taking a weed and putting it in his mouth and ended with gagging and sputtering with a race home for water. Not the “filling” I was aiming for 🙂 but you get the point! We also had more meaningful car rides with more attention out the window, more reading, and we played Monopoly 5 times! (I am fine playing once a year) I mean who does that in a week? It took hours of our life, but we made memories that will last for a lifetime. (I did get a win in if you wondered). One evening when I took my own walk, as my boys searched for what to do with themselves, I was greeted watching each out in the yard working on their archery skills which they had never initiated on their own before.
Wow, this “emptiness” was starting to yield results. When the distractions were removed, our conversations were getting real, our time was allowing for growth and truth to spring forth. My boys were “present” and while at first it felt like chaos, it was beginning to feel like purpose. Our family was coming alive in ways it hadn’t in a while and we were “filling” up with the right things. The root of some of our initial problem triggers began to surface. However, after a week of putting my own children through the “emptiness” test, they began to drawn off of my cup so much that near the end, I too struggled to be filled enough and lashed out in frustration reminding myself of the importance of remaining “full” of the Lord or I would fail to support those around me. He taught me a valuable lesson and I have been quite humbled.
What about you? How do you fill your “empty” spots? If you have lost someone or something in your life, what are you now doing with that time and energy? Are you spinning and seeking other “empty” things to fill it that are just passing the time away?
Or
Are you allowing yourself to be “still” so that God can teach you what the emptiness is being felt for? How does He want to fill you differently to make you have a long-lasting peace?
Envy, “longings” for things we do not have, leave us empty. That empty feeling will eventually be filled. We can choose to fill it with a temporary “replacement” like work, buying things, drinking, smoking, eating, sleeping, television, people, you name it.
OR
We can ask God to fill us up with the just right things that will satisfy us like His words, deeper personal relationships, truthful conversations, tears, and allow new life to form in us that will surprise us as to the beauty of what comes from “emptiness.”
Years ago, when I was feeling at one of my most empty places, I ceased to see good in it at first. I felt hollow, as if the wind may just blow me away and I was ok with it. BUT, as I walked in the pain and emptiness long enough, God began revealing purpose to it. He helped me restructure my time and energy and pour into things that would have a return. My book and these devotions were a result of my own emptiness. God poured his life into me and inspired me to pour it back out. YES, He filled me up so much that I was able to overflow to others from what started as emptiness!
Two stories come to my mind from the Bible where “empty” jars were filled with miracles.
In “The Widow’s Oil,” a woman’s husband has died and someone is coming to take her sons as slaves to pay his remaining debts. Elisha asks how he can help her and she tells him she only has a little oil in the house. He then asks her to go around and ask all of her neighbors for empty jars. He said, “Don’t ask for just a few.” When she did this, she was to pour a little oil into each “empty” jar and set aside. She and her sons were able to fill every jar and sell this oil for money to pay her debts as well as live on what was left. 2 Kings, 4: 1-7
Not only were the widow’s empty jars filled, but filled so abundantly she could pay her debts and live peacefully on the rest! Her emptiness was filled with abundance.
In “Jesus Changes Water to Wine,” Jesus is in attendance at a wedding where the wine went “empty.” Jesus asks servants to fill six stone water jars with water. He was able to fill the jars with an abundance of quality wine with their faith (John 2:1-11).
The theme I see is where we see “emptiness,” God sees an opportunity to fill us with abundance. Each miracle took something empty and was filled so abundantly many were blessed. Not only immediately, but long term as their faith grew and was shared with others.
So again, I ask you, what leaves you feeling empty and how are you filling that space?
Ask God to show you how to fill yourself, your time, and your space so that you can be satisfied and able to pour out blessings to others and grow your faith along the way.
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Emptiness
Show me the next step I should take.
Spilling out all that I have, Julie
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דירות דיסקרטיות בהרצליה Cruz Cagney
So thankful you also found this site! I write a new devotion and post each Sunday!